Sergio Pino: Cuban-American Business Mogul Found Dead in Miami

Sergio Pino, a Cuban-born businessman, was a prominent figure in the South Florida business community. On Tuesday, news broke of his death, an apparent suicide, as the FBI raided his mansion on Isla Dorada Boulevard, Coral Gables, Miami. This incident has shocked the community since Pino was a well-known and respected philanthropist. His life story served as an inspiration to countless immigrants striving to make their mark in the United States and achieve the successes he had.

Sergio Pino: The Cuban Emigrant Who Built a Miami Empire

Sergio Pino was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1956. He fled with his family to the United States when he was just 12 years old, settling in a small apartment in Miami. His family was humble but hardworking. His mother washed and ironed clothes, while his father, a former merchant in Cuba, worked as a plumber in Florida. As a teenager, Sergio helped his family by cleaning carpets.

He graduated from Miami High School in 1975 and attended Miami-Dade Community College for two years before deciding to start a plumbing store in Hialeah with his father's help, known as Century Plumbing. The business quickly took off, becoming the foundation of the vast empire that Sergio Pino would later build in Miami, the Caribbean, and South America under the name Century Wholesale.

By 1989, Sergio Pino had amassed a fortune and gained significant prestige as a businessman in the United States. He became president of the Latin Builders Association, a construction group based in Coral Gables. In 1997, he founded the real estate holding company Century Partners Group, and later, the Century Homebuilders Group, which has built over 16,000 homes in South Florida alone.

His companies were deeply involved in community engagement, participating actively in various organizations and foundations. Besides being president of the Latin Builders Association, he was a board member of Florida International University (FIU) and a founder of the U.S. Century Bank, a project he later left. His businesses supported educational, health, and community programs in prestigious institutions like the League Against Cancer, the Miami Children's Hospital, and the Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Throughout his professional life, Pino was investigated by authorities multiple times but was never formally charged. In 2002, a report from the Miami-Dade County Inspector General criticized him for earning $14.6 million on an airport contract without performing actual work. In 2006, a federal investigation linked him to a fishing trip to Cancun for Miami-Dade Commissioner José "Pepe" Díaz, but no charges were filed.

Sergio Pino's Ties with Cuba

In September 2023, Sergio Pino hosted a delegation of about 70 Cuban entrepreneurs at his mansion in Coral Gables. They visited Miami to meet with U.S. officials and Cuban-American personalities. He encouraged the entrepreneurs to develop business projects with the United States to promote private sector growth in Cuba.

In May 2024, Pino warned that the Cuban government would exploit economic measures approved by the Biden Administration, where the Treasury Department authorized private entrepreneurs to open bank accounts in the United States. However, Pino believed that the Cuban people could also benefit from these measures. "The Havana regime will try to infiltrate. Of course, there will be traps, but these measures are still a positive step," he said.

Sergio and Tatiana Pino's Divorce

In 2022, Sergio Pino's private life took a dramatic turn when he began divorce proceedings with his second wife, Tatiana Pino. The 32-year marriage ended for reasons not disclosed to the press, and she accused him of attempted murder, allegations he denied.

In recent months, Pino was involved in a complicated litigation process due to these accusations. Tatiana's claims sparked an investigation into allegations that Pino had plotted to poison her and threatened her sister. On the morning of July 16, 2024, the FBI raided his Coral Gables mansion to serve him a court order related to these accusations. The SWAT team entered the residence and found Pino dead in an upstairs bedroom.

Sergio Pino is remembered for his support of charitable causes and his commitment to the growth of the Cuban-American community in the United States. His company, Century Homebuilders Group, stands as a testament to his business vision and dedication to developing communities in South Florida.