NAPLES, Fla. — A day after federal agents raided two properties of conservative businessman Alfie Oakes, newly revealed court documents accuse the high-profile MAGA Republican of failing to pay back millions of dollars in loans.
According to neighbors, it was an intense scene in Oakes' neighborhood when agents from multiple federal agencies showed up in unmarked cars outside his home in Naples, Florida.
Law enforcement also showed up at Oakes' packing plant in Immokalee.
The U.S. Department of Defense's Office of the Inspector General confirmed that its DCIS agents were executing law enforcement activity at Oakes' properties in coordination with the IRS and the Secret Service.
However, none of the agencies have disclosed the exact reason why.
Court documents reveal that Farm Credit of Florida filed a civil complaint against Oakes and his wife last month, accusing them of defaulting on parts of a $4 million loan. The complaint stated that Farm Credit had the right to seize property if the loan was not repaid, although it remains unclear if this financial dispute was the trigger for the recent federal action.
John Meo, chairman of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee, spoke to Oakes following the raid.
Meo expressed disappointment over the conduct of the raid - describing it as excessive.
“It’s not a good look for America when you have five or six agencies show up at somebody’s place of business or their home,” Meo said. “The crime is that he’s got to go through this process, and it wasn’t done in the way it would normally be done. You don’t have these three-letter agencies come to your door as though you’re some mass murderer,” Meo added.
Oakes declined to provide immediate comments to reporters, only saying, “Go Trump” when approached near his Naples home. Meo expressed confidence that Oakes would “come out on top” of the situation.
"Alfie is very well-versed in adversity, being in so many different businesses, and he was fine; he'll be fine," Meo added.
Scripps News South Florida reached out to Oakes and the attorney for Farm Credit of Florida for additional statements but had not received a response as of Friday afternoon.
This story was originally published by Mahmoud Bennett at Scripps News South Florida.
