Florida developer Sergio Pino dead in apparent suicide amid FBI activity at his home

Developer Sergio Pino died in an apparent suicide after FBI agents arrived at his Cocoplum home early Tuesday amid an investigation related to threats made against his estranged wife, Tatiana Pino, multiple sources told the Miami Herald.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s office confirmed that Pino, 67, died inside his home on Isla Dorada Boulevard around 10:20 a.m. Earlier in the morning, FBI agents had descended on the neighborhood for the purpose of “conducting court ordered law enforcement activity,” according to an agency spokesperson. Pino took his own life, according to multiple sources.

Pino’s death marks a startling turn weeks after the FBI raided his waterfront home in the posh Coral Gables neighborhood. Authorities were investigating his possible connection to assaults against Tatiana Pino and her relatives that led to the arrests of four men, including a household employee of Sergio Pino.

Pino, the founder of Century Homebuilders Group and a high-profile Miami-Dade County businessman and political donor for decades, had denied any involvement in the incidents, which happened during the couple’s ongoing divorce proceedings.

The striking scene unfolded Tuesday morning as FBI agents returned to the house. Coral Gables police cruisers blocked off the way to the home, where the couple once lived together in a waterfront home that remained Sergio Pino’s residence. A series of loud bangs could be heard from about a block away, beginning at 9:30 a.m., about every 15 minutes. Two helicopters hovered overhead at the waterfront estate, near the Cocoplum Yacht Club.

Around 10 a.m., Coral Gables Fire Rescue arrived with lights on. Thirty minutes later, an ambulance left with lights on but no siren. Around 11:30 a.m., a van from the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s office arrived in the area.

The residence was not visible from the area blocked off by law enforcement.

A person in the neighborhood told the Miami Herald that law enforcement surrounding the house appeared calm, with weapons pointed at the ground. The person said that at one point they heard police say over the megaphone that they would breach the front door, though it is unclear if that has happened.

Sergio Pino’s defense attorney, Sam Rabin, told the Herald he was at the scene Tuesday morning trying to figure out what was happening. He declined to comment further.

Tatiana Pino’s lawyer, Raymond Rafool, also declined to comment. “Under the circumstances, we are not commenting at this time,” he said Tuesday afternoon.

Four Miami-Dade men, including an employee of Sergio Pino’s, were arrested earlier this year in connection with threats and attacks against Tatiana Pino and her sister. Bayron Bennett, who worked putting together food and beverage service on Sergio Pino’s yacht, is accused of recruiting Michael Dulfo, Edner Etienne and Jerren Howard to carry out a hit-and-run at Tatiana Pino’s residence and multiple arsons at her sister’s residence. The four men have pleaded not guilty.

A rented Home Depot trailer rammed into Tatiana Pino’s car as she pulled into her driveway after a day of divorce proceedings in August 2023. Three vehicles have been set ablaze in two separate arsons at Tatiana Pino’s sister’s residence.

In a motion filed on July 5, Tatiana Pino’s divorce attorney said there had been another “attempt on Ms. Pino’s life just weeks ago at her home.” Pinecrest police have refused to release the report from that incident because it is the subject of an ongoing federal investigation.

In court testimony, Tatiana Pino said she blamed health problems on what she believed was a poisoning attempt by her husband. He denied that allegation, too.

Sergio Pino testified that he had also received threats throughout the divorce proceedings.

A month after Tatiana Pino filed for divorce, Sergio Pino said someone shot at his Coral Gables home. He said he had received threatening phone calls around that time.

In September 2023, shortly after the hit-and-run at Tatiana Pino’s residence, Sergio Pino said someone set his car on fire. About a year before that, he testified, another car of his was vandalized.

Miami Herald staff writer Jay Weaver contributed to this report.