The Related Group

🔴 High Risk

The Related Group stands as a cornerstone of modern real estate development, particularly in South Florida, where it has transformed urban landscapes through innovative projects. Founded in 1979, this Miami-based powerhouse has evolved from affordable housing roots to pioneering ultra-luxury condominiums, blending architecture, art, and lifestyle. With a portfolio spanning Related Group Miami condos, Related Group projects Florida-wide, and ventures into Latin America, the company exemplifies forward-thinking urban development.​

Project Introduction: Formation and Background

The Related Group traces its origins to 1979, when Argentine immigrant Jorge M. Pérez co-founded the company in Miami alongside University of Michigan alumnus Stephen M. Ross, distinguishing it clearly as Related Group vs Related Companies—the latter being Ross’s New York-based entity focused on larger-scale urban projects across the Northeast and beyond.

Pérez, who arrived in the U.S. in 1968 after fleeing political instability in Argentina, earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and later a master’s in urban planning from the same institution. His early career included a stint as Miami’s economic development director in the 1970s, where he gained firsthand insight into the city’s housing challenges and growth potential.​

Pérez’s initial vision centered on addressing acute housing shortages in underserved areas like Little Havana, Homestead, and other immigrant-heavy neighborhoods in South Florida. The company’s launch began modestly with small-scale renovations of multifamily properties, which quickly filled due to overwhelming demand from working-class families.

This Related Group affordable housing history not only built a reputation for reliability but also provided the cash flow necessary for expansion. By the mid-1980s, Related Group had become Florida’s largest builder of low-income apartments, constructing thousands of units across the state and pioneering early public-private partnerships with local governments to subsidize developments.​

The Related Group year of establishment marks not just a business launch but a pivotal moment in Related Group urban evolution Miami. As Miami transitioned from a regional port city to an international hub in the 1990s, fueled by Latin American capital and tourism booms, Pérez shifted focus toward market-rate and luxury segments. Early Related Group Florida multifamily efforts evolved into signature high-rises that capitalized on waterfront views and proximity to Brickell’s financial district.

Today, headquartered at its Related Group address in downtown Miami, the company boasts a Related Group real estate portfolio valued at over $40 billion in assets under management, with more than 120,000 homes developed, $50 billion in total sales generated, and ongoing projects representing another $20 billion pipeline. This growth reflects Pérez’s philosophy of “building better cities,” integrating residential, retail, and cultural elements to foster vibrant communities.​

Management and Project Head

Jorge M. Pérez remains the Related Group founder, chairman, and CEO, guiding the company’s strategy with a personal net worth estimated at $2.6 billion as of 2025, according to Forbes rankings. His leadership, informed by decades of urban planning expertise, has positioned the Related Group as a Southeast US developer par excellence, with meticulous attention to site selection, zoning navigation, and community integration. Pérez’s hands-on approach extends to high-profile philanthropy, including major donations to institutions like the Pérez Art Museum Miami, which enhances the company’s cultural footprint.​

Sons Jon Paul Pérez and Nicholas Pérez represent the next generation of leadership. Jon Paul Pérez, co-president overseeing condominium development, has spearheaded Related Group new construction booms, driving over $3 billion in sales in recent years through projects like waterfront towers and branded residences. Nicholas Pérez, also a co-president, focuses on operational excellence and expansion into new markets.

Together, they ensure continuity while injecting fresh perspectives on sustainability and technology integration. The executive team includes seasoned directors in finance, construction, and design, supported by a board that emphasizes strategic partnerships with institutional investors and global brands.​

Pérez’s prior collaborations, such as early joint ventures with Stephen M. Ross before their paths diverged, underscore deep financial links to institutional capital from pension funds, sovereign wealth entities, and private equity. While the Related Group remains privately held with no public Related Group stock trading, 2023 financial disclosures indicate $2.7 billion in revenue and support for 796 U.S. jobs directly.

Related Group careers attract top talent in real estate transactions, property acquisition, and project management, with Related Group subsidiaries handling specialized arms like condominium sales, rentals, and hospitality ventures. Related Group construction teams are renowned for on-time delivery, even amid supply chain challenges post-2020.​

Key Projects and Developments

The Related Group’s imprint on the Related Group skyline Miami is indelible, with Related Group luxury developments redefining entire districts through bold architecture and lifestyle amenities. In Brickell, Related Group Brickell residences dominate, including the towering Related Group Baccarat Residences (also known as Baccarat Miami), a 75-story ultrapremium tower with 360 residences featuring private elevators, aquariums, and prices starting at $7 million. Nearby, Related Group 1428 Brickell offers modern efficiencies, while Related Group Viceroy Brickell (Viceroy Residences) seamlessly blends hotel-style services with private living, complete with rooftop pools and celebrity chef restaurants.​

Iconic Related Group Icon Brickell set early benchmarks for Related Group mixed-use towers in the early 2000s, combining condos, offices, and retail in a three-tower complex that anchored Brickell’s resurgence. Related Group Brickell towers continue to evolve, with recent completions like St. Regis Residences emphasizing branded luxury.

Edgewater has seen explosive growth via Related Group Edgewater Miami projects, where Related Group Paraiso Bay (including Paraiso Bayviews) boasts sales exceeding $1 billion, waterfront parks, and marina access driving Related Group Edgewater sales records.​

Wynwood’s creative renaissance ties directly to Related Group Wynwood apartments, such as Wynwood 25 with 289 units amid street art and galleries.

These incorporate Related Group contemporary art lobbies and the broader Related Group art program, partnering with collectors to curate Related Group art collection condos that elevate resident experiences. In Bal Harbour, Related Group Rivage Bal Harbour and Related Group Rosewood Residences (under development) promise oceanfront exclusivity, while Related Group Casa Bella Miami (Casa Bella) in Edgewater integrates B&B Italia furnishings in a sculptural design.​

Expansion beyond core markets defines Related Group Florida projects. Related Group Tampa developments include the massive West River mixed-income community (1,700+ units) and Ritz-Carlton Residences, blending affordability with luxury.

Related Group Tampa apartments target young professionals amid the city’s tech boom. Nationally, Related Group Atlanta Icon Midtown draws from Brickell inspirations, while Related Group Las Vegas projects explore gaming-adjacent opportunities, and Related Group Atlanta Midtown signals deeper Southeastern penetration. Related Group Florida multifamily remains a staple, but Related Group Latin America projects like Parque Global in Brazil highlight cross-continental expertise.

These Related Group mixed-use towers often pioneer Related Group construction techniques, such as resilient designs for hurricane-prone areas.​

Controversies and Scandals

While the Related Group maintains a reputation for innovation and quality, its operations unfold within Miami’s high-risk sector, where luxury real estate has drawn regulatory scrutiny for opacity.

No major criminal convictions or indictments have targeted the company as an institution, but sector-wide patterns of Related Group suspicious real estate deal activity in Related Group Miami condos have prompted broader questions. Investigative journalism has highlighted Related Group Miami developer activities amid concerns over foreign capital flows into Related Group luxury condos, particularly during boom cycles.​

Civil disputes have occasionally surfaced, including buyer lawsuits alleging discrepancies in unit configurations or amenities in various Related projects, as well as partner claims like a $13 million suit over a West Palm Beach development in 2022.

The 2008 financial crisis tested resilience, with some Related Group projects Florida facing loan defaults and restructurings; Pérez personally invested via a hedge fund to acquire distressed assets, turning potential losses into long-term gains. High-volume Related Group real estate transaction patterns, often involving all-cash purchases in Related Group Paraiso Bay or Wynwood 25, align with U.S. government-flagged vulnerabilities, though no firm-specific probes have yielded public charges.​

Money Laundering Activities

Miami’s real estate ecosystem, encompassing Related Group luxury developments, has been flagged repeatedly for risks stemming from inadequate beneficial ownership transparency. Common tactics in the sector—such as shell companies obscuring Related Group client verification, or layering via rapid resales in Related Group Edgewater sales—mirror patterns observed broadly, without evidence of unique adoption by the firm.

Related Group risk assessment protocols and Related Group AML compliance measures are standard for a developer of its scale, yet the U.S. real estate market’s structural opacity, amplified by anonymous LLC usage, creates fertile ground for potential Related Group layering (money laundering stage) in high-value deals.​

Suspicious investments frequently trace to international sources, prompting Related Group source of funds inquiries in all-cash transactions linked to Latin America or beyond.

As a nexus of Related Group real estate professionals, the company navigates FinCEN advisories targeting Miami’s cash-heavy market, but public records reveal no Related Group-specific enforcement actions for practices like over- or under-invoicing or fake buyers. Emphasis on rigorous Related Group property acquisition due diligence continues, though systemic U.S. gaps in real estate regulation persist, affecting developers industry-wide.​

The Related Group’s global footprint directly benefits Latin America through Related Group Latin America projects, drawing buyers from Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, and Colombia into flagships like Related Group Bal Harbour or Related Group Tampa apartments.

Cross-border transactions have fueled Related Group Las Vegas plans and Related Group Florida multifamily expansions, often via partnerships such as those with Brazil’s Bueno Netto group for multifamily ventures. While offshore accounts feature prominently in Miami sector reports, Related Group ties remain largely contextual and partnership-driven.​

Investors from high-risk jurisdictions have historically parked wealth in assets like Related Group Baccarat Miami or Casa Bella, stimulating local construction jobs, tax revenues, and supplier chains while occasionally raising Related Group beneficial ownership transparency concerns. U.S.-Brazil collaborations exemplify symbiotic gains, with no confirmed illicit conduits; instead, these links underscore Miami’s role as a hemispheric real estate magnet.​

U.S. regulators, including FinCEN, have imposed Geographic Targeting Orders on Miami-Dade County since 2016, requiring title companies to report cash and shell-company purchases in areas overlapping Related Group-impacted zones—no direct sanctions or fines have followed for the firm.

Bodies like FIA, NAB, or FATF hold no jurisdiction over U.S. developers like Related Group, as these are primarily Pakistani or international entities; U.S. DOJ cases have prosecuted brokers and buyers, not developers per se. Pending civil litigations remain routine contract disputes, with no asset freezes, seizures, or criminal referrals against Related documented publicly.​

Public Impact and Market Reaction

Related Group projects Florida have profoundly elevated property values, with Brickell median condo prices surging over 150% since Icon Brickell’s 2008 completion, from around $400 per square foot to $1,200+ today. Public perception blends admiration for Related Group skyline impact—creating thousands of jobs and iconic Related Group in Miami landmarks—with measured caution post-2008.

Related Group foundation initiatives, including Pérez’s $100 million+ in art and education philanthropy, bolster community trust. Economic ripple effects include boosted tourism, retail vitality, and infrastructure upgrades, though speculative flips occasionally temper investor sentiment during rate hikes.​

Fully operational and expansionary, the Related Group maintains a robust Related Group new construction pipeline exceeding $20 billion, encompassing St. Regis Residences Brickell, Fisher Island towers, and multifamily in emerging markets. Recent completions like Casa Bella underscore delivery prowess amid labor shortages. Expert analysts forecast steady growth, projecting 10-15% annual sales increases through 2030, driven by demand for Related Group mixed-use amenities and resilient designs.

Challenges like rising interest rates or insurance costs in Florida may moderate pace, but diversification into Tampa developments, Atlanta Midtown, and Las Vegas ensures adaptability. The Related Group history—from Related Group affordable roots to global influencer—positions it for sustained dominance in urban evolution.​

This trajectory reflects not just business acumen but a vision aligning profitability with placemaking, ensuring the Related Group’s legacy endures across skylines and markets for decades ahead.

Location

Miami, Florida, United States (primary base of operations; projects across South Florida and other U.S. and Latin American markets)​

Portfolio of high‑end and ultra‑luxury residential condominiums and mixed‑use residential towers (including branded residences and waterfront complexes).​

Privately held real‑estate development company controlled by founder Jorge M. Pérez and family members through closely held corporate entities; individual projects are typically placed into separate project‑specific companies or joint‑venture vehicles with other developers and financial partners. The individual condo units are sold to a fragmented pool of buyers, including foreign individuals and companies, some using shell companies and opaque corporate vehicles typical of Miami’s luxury market (sector‑wide pattern; specific ownership structures per unit often not publicly disclosed in detail).​

  • Corporate level:

    • Jorge M. Pérez (founder and chairman; long‑time controller of the Related Group).​

    • Family members, including sons Jon Paul and Nicholas Pérez in senior leadership roles, with influence over strategy and project pipeline.​

  • Unit‑level condo buyers:

    • Numerous individual and corporate purchasers whose ultimate beneficial ownership is frequently obscured behind limited liability companies, offshore corporations, and nominee arrangements, a practice widely documented in Miami’s high‑end real‑estate market but not fully mapped for each Related‑developed tower (ownership opacity is systemic; precise ultimate owners often unknown or only suspected).​

Yes (sector‑wide; specific direct links to Related projects are partly documented but not systematically disclosed).

  • Miami’s luxury condo sector has attracted politically exposed persons (PEPs) from Latin America, including Venezuelan and other regional officials and their associates, who have used high‑value condos as wealth‑parking vehicles.​

  • Publicly available cases and investigative work describe PEPs and sanctioned individuals holding multiple high‑value condos in Brickell and other Miami luxury towers; these patterns intersect geographically and economically with the ecosystem in which the Related Group is a major developer, but formal attributions tying specific PEP‑linked laundering cases exclusively to Related‑built towers are incomplete or “suspected but not confirmed” asset‑by‑asset.

  • Predominant: high‑value condo purchases funded via:

    • All‑cash transactions and wire transfers routed through foreign banks and offshore accounts, a hallmark of Miami’s high‑end real‑estate market and a major anti‑money‑laundering (AML) concern in the United States.​

    • Purchases by shell companies and layered corporate vehicles (LLCs, offshore entities) that obscure beneficial owners and weaken due‑diligence transparency.​

  • Supplementary methods:

    • Use of luxury real estate as a conversion and integration layer for embezzled funds and corruption proceeds (e.g., Venezuelan oil‑related schemes funnelling hundreds of millions of dollars into Miami real estate via complex multi‑jurisdictional structures).​

    • Occasional mortgage or loan‑supported acquisitions layered through investment structures, helping create a veneer of “legitimate” financing over illicit sources (pattern documented in Miami more broadly; specific structures per Related project often not publicly detailed).​

Sector‑wide techniques observed in the environment in which Related operates, with varying degrees of specific linkage to individual Related‑developed properties:

  • Overvaluation of luxury units:

    • Ultra‑prime condos marketed at aggressively high price points in opaque, narrative‑driven luxury markets, creating scope for overvaluation relative to fundamentals and enabling the quiet parking of large sums under a luxury “brand” premium; suspected but not always empirically quantified at project level.​

  • Use of shell and nominee structures:

    • Widespread reliance on U.S. LLCs, offshore companies, and nominee directors or managers to hold title to Miami condos, making it difficult to identify the real controllers and facilitating layering and asset concealment.​

  • Multiple sales and rapid flipping:

    • Rapid re‑sales of pre‑construction or newly delivered units at escalating prices, typical in Miami’s speculative cycles, can operate as a layering mechanism by creating an ostensibly legitimate chain of transactions that launder origin and obscure beneficial ownership; this is a systemic risk in the condo market and plausibly present in Related‑developed towers but only partly documented case‑by‑case (suspected but not fully confirmed per asset).​

  • Integration via high‑end real estate:

    • Integration of proceeds from corruption and fraud (e.g., large‑scale PDVSA and related Venezuelan schemes) into tangible U.S. assets such as Miami condos, sometimes via cooperation with local property developers; in documented cases, a Miami developer took cash deposits, placed assets in an LLC held by a conspirator’s spouse, then shifted control—illustrating exactly how the sector can be misused.​

(Generalized, as individual building and unit histories are not centrally published.)

  • 2000s–2010s:

    • Related spearheads multiple large luxury condo developments in Miami and surrounding areas, selling thousands of units into a global buyer base including high‑risk jurisdictions, often during boom cycles when KYC and AML scrutiny were weak.​

    • Following the 2008 crisis, some projects face foreclosure and restructuring; during this period, opportunistic capital—including opaque and offshore funds—enters Miami real estate, taking advantage of distressed assets and lenient oversight.​

  • 2010s–2020s:

    • Continued pipeline of ultra‑luxury towers; transactions increasingly involve foreign buyers, shell companies, and high‑value all‑cash deals, coinciding with U.S. law‑enforcement concerns and targeted measures like Geographic Targeting Orders in Miami‑Dade.​

    • Isolated civil lawsuits against Related (e.g., purchaser and partner disputes in towers like those in West Palm Beach) show intense financial engineering, joint‑venture complexity, and occasional allegations of misrepresentation, though these are not in themselves money‑laundering findings.​

  • Ongoing:

    • The portfolio continues to be embedded in a market repeatedly flagged by U.S. authorities for systemic AML vulnerabilities, with unit‑level transactions sometimes intersecting with known or suspected laundering schemes involving Latin American elites and PEPs; detailed property‑by‑property tracing remains partial and often “suspected but not confirmed”.​

  • Sector‑level indication:

    • Documented schemes involving Latin American corruption and PDVSA embezzlement alone have channelled up to approximately 1.2 billion USD into complex structures that include high‑end Miami real estate.​

    • Given Miami’s repeated identification as a hub for foreign corruption proceeds and the scale of the luxury condo market in which Related is a dominant player, the plausible order of magnitude of suspect capital interacting with this ecosystem is high, though figures remain “indicative rather than confirmed” at the level of any single developer.

  • Major thematic and case‑based links (sector/context, not necessarily limited to Related projects):

    • U.S. prosecutions of Venezuelan officials and associates for embezzlement and money laundering through Miami real estate, including the large PDVSA‑linked scheme routed via shell companies and high‑end property purchases.​

    • Investigative reporting on Miami as a destination for foreign corruption assets and dirty money, highlighting luxury condos and developer‑mediated structures as a favored tool for asset concealment and integration.​

    • U.S. Treasury/FinCEN advisories and Geographic Targeting Orders focused on all‑cash, shell‑company purchases of high‑value residential property in Miami‑Dade, which directly cover the type of units produced by Related.​

  • Large global leaks (e.g., Panama Papers, FinCEN Files):

    • These have exposed extensive use of offshore structures and U.S. real estate for laundering and concealment; however, the public record does not systematically map every entity in these leaks to specific Related projects, so any direct linkage is “suspected but not comprehensively documented”.

  • Against the developer:

    • Civil litigation involving Related has included fraud and contract‑dispute allegations by buyers and partners in specific projects (e.g., unit configuration disputes and partner suits seeking damages in the tens of millions of dollars).​

    • No widely publicized criminal money‑laundering conviction has targeted the Related Group as an institutional defendant as of the available public record; the key concern is risk exposure and structural vulnerability, not a formally adjudicated laundering case against the company itself.​

  • Against the broader ecosystem:

    • U.S. authorities have taken actions (asset seizures, forfeitures, sanctions enforcement, AML prosecutions) involving high‑end Miami condos and related financial intermediaries, clearly demonstrating that this asset class is used in laundering schemes and that U.S. enforcement historically lagged behind the scale and sophistication of abuse.

High.

  • The United States, and specifically Miami‑Dade, exhibits a paradoxical combination of global financial centrality and profound real‑estate opacity, allowing high‑risk foreign capital to exploit gaps between banking regulations and lightly regulated property markets.​

  • Despite recent targeted measures, AML enforcement in U.S. real estate remains fragmented, reactive, and politically constrained, leaving ample space for shell‑company purchases, weak beneficial‑ownership transparency, and continued use of high‑end condos for laundering and asset concealment.​

  • Developers:

    • The Related Group and affiliated project entities, often in joint ventures with other major South Florida developers and capital partners (e.g., partnerships for waterfront high‑rise and branded residence projects).​

  • Financial intermediaries and banks:

    • U.S. and foreign banks processing large cross‑border wires, sometimes criticized or sanctioned historically for weak AML controls; sector‑wide examples include banks in Florida involved with Latin American laundering networks.​

  • Professional enablers:

    • Real‑estate brokers, lawyers, accountants, and formation agents facilitating shell‑company purchases and complex holding structures, as evidenced in multiple Miami‑based AML cases.​

Residential (luxury condominiums; mixed‑use residential towers).

Overvaluation; cash‑based purchases; shell and nominee ownership; layering through multiple resales; integration of corruption proceeds via high‑end real estate.

North America (United States, Miami/South Florida).

High

The Related Group

The Related Group
Country:
United States
City / Location:
Miami and wider South Florida (primary focus of operations).
Developer / Owner Entity:
The Related Group (privately held real‑estate development company controlled by Jorge M. Pérez and family).
Linked Individuals :

Jorge M. Pérez (founder and chairman of Related); family members including Jon Paul and Nicholas Pérez in leadership roles.​ Sector‑wide PEP and high‑risk foreign buyer presence in Miami luxury condos is documented but only partially and not comprehensively mapped to specific Related projects (suspected but not fully confirmed).​

Source of Funds Suspected:

Sector‑wide patterns indicate suspected proceeds of foreign corruption and embezzlement (including Latin American state‑linked schemes such as PDVSA‑related cases), illicit enrichment, and possibly bribery and fraud routed into Miami luxury real estate; direct links to all Related projects are indicative rather than comprehensively proven asset‑by‑asset.​

Investment Type:
Development and sale of high‑end and ultra‑luxury residential condominium units; long‑term investment and wealth‑parking by buyers through condo ownership.
Method of Laundering:
High‑value all‑cash purchases; overvaluation of luxury condos; use of shell and nominee companies; layering via multiple resales/flipping; integration of illicit funds into tangible U.S. real estate assets. ​
Value of Property:
Not precisely quantifiable for the portfolio; individual units often in the high six‑ to seven‑figure USD range, with overall suspect capital interacting with Miami luxury real estate estimated in the hundreds of millions to over one billion USD in documented schemes (sector‑level, not solely Related). ​
Offshore Entity Involved?
1
Shell Company Used?
1
Project Status:
Complete
Associated Legal / Leak Files:

U.S. prosecutions and investigations into large‑scale laundering schemes using Miami condos, including PDVSA‑linked and other Latin American corruption cases; Geographic Targeting Orders and U.S. AML focus on Miami‑Dade real estate; investigative journalism on Miami luxury real estate as a conduit for dirty money. Specific global leaks (e.g., Panama Papers, FinCEN Files) show heavy use of offshore structures and U.S. property but do not fully map all entities to Related projects (links are indicative, not exhaustive).

Year of Acquisition / Construction:
AML Network Risk Rating:
🔴 High Risk
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