May 19, 2013

Dubious Achievers - Florida Newsmakers of the Year

Mike Vogel | 1/1/2011

• LEE FARKAS
Taylor Bean & Whitaker, Ocala

Lee Farkas

[Photo: Bruce Ackerman/Ocean Star Banner]

Mortgage Mess

Lee Farkas took mortgage company Taylor Bean & Whitaker from small beans to one of the nation's largest mortgage players not owned by a bank. It closed in 2009 amid allegations of a $1.9-billion fraud that sank Alabama-based Colonial Bank, one of the 10 largest banks in Florida by market share and Taylor Bean's largest lender. Farkas, 57, in 2010 was arrested on bank and securities fraud charges for allegedly trying to hide losses from financial firms and the government.

Business
• Mark Wilson
• Wilbur Ross Jr.
• Lola Gonzalez
• John Textor
• Robert Clements
• Thomas Gaffney
• Hugh Green
• R.J. Scaringe
• Foreclosure Fighters
• Julian MacQueen

Politics
• Mel Martinez & The Dominoes

Military
• Florida's Fallen Soldiers

Education
• Frank Brogan
• Maryellen Elia

Science/Innovation
• Win Phillips & David Day
• Ian MacDonald & William Hogarth

Environment
• Extreme Temperatures

CRITTERS
• Mystery Monkey

Sports
• Tampa Bay Rays' Top Brass
• Pat Riley

Volunteer/Non-Profit
• Barth Green

Arts/Entertainment
• New World Symphony
• Pitbull
• Pamela Tuscany

Dubious Achievers
• Scott Rothstein
• David Brooks
• Jim Greer
• Wayne McLeod
• Lewis Freeman
• Pawl Hawks
• Lee Farkas

» Return to Floridian of the Year Main Page

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