Joy Cooper's former ally turned FBI informant takes stand

Alan Koslow is state's key witness against former Hallandale Beach mayor

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Alan Koslow, a once-prominent South Florida lobbyist and attorney, testified against his former political ally Joy Cooper on Wednesday.

Cooper, who served as the mayor of Hallandale Beach for 13 years until she was arrested in 2018, faces several charges related to campaign finance violations, including campaign contribution violations, official misconduct and soliciting a campaign contribution in a government building.

During Cooper's reelection bid in 2012, she and Koslow met with two undercover FBI agents posing as wealthy land developers.

One of the undercover agents offered to contribute $500 to Cooper’s campaign, the legal maximum donation allowed in Hallandale Beach at the time.

Cooper allegedly told the undercover agent to "add a 0" to the number. Investigators later revealed that the two agents gave Koslow a Dunkin' Donuts bag with $8,000 in it.

According to state prosecutors, in order to account for the contribution, Koslow allegedly used a group of women to write smaller checks to Cooper's campaign. 

Koslow's lobbying tactics were the reason for a series of taped undercover meetings that included Cooper, and after his arrest for an unrelated money laundering scheme involving counterfeit Viagra and narcotics, state attorneys offered him a reduced sentence if he agreed to become an FBI informant.

Koslow is the state's key witness in the case of Cooper's alleged campaign finance violations and was expected to continue his testimony through the afternoon.


About the Author:

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.