Former Port Canaveral Commissioner, Ralph Kennedy was arrested today for unlawful compensation on various projects, a release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) said.
According to the release, Kennedy’s arrest comes after a year long investigation by FDLE’s Orlando Regional Operations Center into complaints of corruption by Kennedy during his term as the elected Port Commissioner.
The investigation revealed that Kennedy and others conspired to provide Kennedy with unlawful compensation derived from various Port related projects. During the investigation, agents determined that Kennedy was involved in illegal business transactions involving a local contractor and a business owner within the Port. As the Port Commissioner, Kennedy had authority over the various projects through regulation and voting procedures. Kennedy aided in the negotiation of bids on a hotel project at the Port and then positioned himself for a financial kickback for his role in delivering the project to the contractor.
Kennedy resigned as Port Commissioner on Oct. 26, 2009.
Kennedy was indicted by a Statewide Grand Jury in Ft. Lauderdale. He was arrested today and booked into the Brevard County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
