These days, Frank and Christine Falowski perform background screenings for South Florida job applicants in government, law enforcement, education and private companies dealing with elderly and child care.
The Falowskis’ new venture, A Phoenix Fingerprinting, does the sensitive checks using Social Security numbers, private addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and fingerprints.
Never mind that Frank’s on probation until 2017, according to Broward County records.
At first, Christine, who conducts business under her maiden name of Smith, said they don’t own Phoenix. But Frank is listed as owner on state incorporation papers.
Then she said they barely see applicants’ private info and never see it again once it’s entered into the FDLE system. What she didn’t say is that industry standards mandate the records be saved for a month.
When asked if they should be handling such information, Christine just said: “Everybody’s got a past.”
Miami Herald archives show the duo was arrested in 2007 on charges of filing false insurance claims and writing phony pain-pill prescriptions using dead doctors’ names.
They both pleaded no contest to organized fraud, and Christine to conspiracy to traffic oxycodone. Both were sentenced to probation.
In 2013, Frank was nabbed for practicing medicine without a license in Tamarac. He served six months in prison.
“This is outrageous,” said Dwight Walton, a former state trooper who happens to run his own background check company. “The state of Florida is one of the only states where our profession is unregulated.
“Folks who work in child or elderly care need to be screened. Would you want convicted felons to conduct those screenings?”
TRUMP UPDATE
The city of Doral has just slapped a lien on presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Trump National Doral Miami.
The famed resort, if you believe court records, has not renewed its building permit with the city.
The fine is $585 and, since no one at Trump’s resort sent in a check, the city has filed a claim on the property.
How hard is it to get a building permit?
“It’s just a renewal of an existing permit,” said a city official.
REAL ESTATE REPORT
Like an epic movie, the sale of Burt Reynolds’ Hobe Sound mansion was more than eight years in the making.
But it finally came to fruition over Labor Day Weekend when the star of Deliverance and Smokey and The Bandit signed on the dotted line, according to Martin County court papers.
According to MLS real estate records, he got $3.3 million, a fraction of the $15 million he originally asked for.
But here’s the best part for the 79-year-old superstar: In a deal with the new owner, Reynolds gets to stay in the house that’s been his for 35 years as long as he pays rent.
The sale also ends the foreclosure proceedings that Bank of America and Merrill Lynch undertook against the actor when he stopped paying for his four mortgages in 2010. The foreclosure on the house was set for trial in December.
According to court records, the new owner is Charles R. Modica, a former trustee of WXEL public radio and founder of St. George’s University in Grenada.
Reynolds first put the property up for sale for $15 million in 2006, according to records.
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