Op-Ed: Slow News Day for CBS Miami
This morning, CBS Miami reported on “a possible new development” in the case of missing millionaire Guma Aguiar, who disappeared on his boat in June leaving behind a wife, 4 kids and a $100 million dollar fortune. The earth-shattering news – brought to the press’ attention by Guma’s wife, Jaime – was that Guma’s sister moved to the Netherlands.
Since Jaime’s attorney claimed to have information that a business partner of Guma’s is also living in the Netherlands, they speculated that perhaps Guma faked his death and is residing in the Netherlands as well.
This assertion is not only ridiculous, but a shameful lowering of the bar for an otherwise well respected news organization.
Why?
1. Because Guma’s wife and her attorney have a clear incentive to claim he is alive so that his estate does not go to his mother’s control, as stipulated in his will. As the Algemeiner reported in July:
A power of attorney document provided by Ellen Aguiar in a Florida filing notes that in July of 2011, Guma made his intentions clear in regards to who would control his assets in the event of a tragedy.
“Specifically, I revoke all powers of attorney that I have given to my wife, Jamie Aguiar aka Jamie Black Aguiar, to act in any way on by behalf. I further OBJECT [emphasis his] to the appointment of my wife Jamie Black Aguiar, aka Jamie Aguiar, to serve in any capacity as guardian of my person and/or property, or to have authority to act on my behalf,” the document reads. “At the present time my wife and I are in conflict and her interests are adverse to my interests.”
2. Because The fact that his sister moved to a country in Europe where “a business partner” coincidentally happens to reside (in fact, it is likely one of many countries where Guma had business partners) does not pass even the faintest muster of reasonable evidence that Guma is hiding somewhere in that country.
3. Because Guma had a history of severe mental illness; because he was very distraught before he got on the boat that night in June; because his personal belongings were left on the boat; because he had no money, nor did he ever attempt to access his fortune and because he never made any effort to see his children again.
Let’s face the truth and not make fools out of ourselves. The story of Guma’s passing is very sad – and it’s over. He died tragically that summer night.
Let us not continue to degrade the name of a deceased by speculating on where he may be hiding out.
are you for real??
‘Let’s face the truth and not make fools out of ourselves. The story of Guma’s passing is very sad – and it’s over. He died tragically that summer night.’
he is definitely alive and hiding out!! i sure hope you dont feel like a huge fool putting your name to this ridiculous op-ed when he re-appears!
agree 100%
as soon as i heard the news i said the same thing, anyone that knows him knows he is gone forever
and people should stop making up stories
not so simple
All true but:
No body has been found.
The trajectory of the boat is suspicious.
(Struck me as odd right in the beginning:) His mother was not behaving as though she thought he was gone. Quite the contrary, it almost seemed she knew where he was.
He would never try to make contact with his kids until this all blows over. They are small children and their mother would have to have known.
In sum we are dealing with a man who could not handle his success at quite an early age and has the money and poor judgement to stage his own death. I think his wife truly believes that he’s alive and his mother probably knows it.
For all the incentive his wife has to say he’s alive his mother has the same to say that he isn’t.
To the author
“Let’s face the truth and not make fools out of ourselves. The story of Guma’s passing is very sad – and it’s over. He died tragically that summer night.”
And you KNOW this how, exactly? Are you going to be a “person of interest” since you KNOW so much?
This op-ed is weird.
Elvis lives
Guma and Elvis are alive. Some people may have spotted them together…giving out dollars, lekach and kos shel brocha.
dr
there is no proof either way. But if he is alive, then leave him alone. If he would go to that extreme, then he needs to be alone, and unless he owes you alot of money, just leave him be.
talmud
It seems like CBS Miami is familiar with this gemoro in Yevamos 121A
It was taught: R. Gamaliel related, ‘I was once travelling on board a ship when I observed a shipwreck and was sorely grieved for [the apparent loss of] a scholar42 who had been travelling on board that ship. (And who was he? — R. Akiba.) When I subsequently landed, he43 came to me and sat down and discussed matters of halachah. “My son”, I asked him, “who rescued you?” “The plank of a ship”, he answered me, “came my way, and to every wave that approached me I bent my head” — 44 Hence the Sages said that if wicked persons attack a man let him bend his head to them.45 At that hour I exclaimed: How significant are the words of the Stages who ruled [that if a man fell into] water which has [a visible] end, [his wife] is permitted [to marry again; but if into] water which has no [visible] end, she is forbidden’.
It was taught: R. Akiba related, ‘l was once travelling on board a ship when I observed a ship in distress,46 and was much grieved on account of a scholar who was on it. (And who was it? — R. Meir.) When I subsequently landed in the province of Cappadocia47 he came to me and sat down and discussed matters of halachah. “My son”, I said to him, “who rescued you?” — “One wave” he answered me, “tossed me to another, and the other to yet another until [the sea] cast me48 on the dry land”. At that hour I exclaimed: How significant are the words of the Sages who ruled [that if a man fell into] water which has [a visible] end, [his wife] is permitted [to marry again; but if into] water which has no [visible] end, she is forbidden’.
To #7
AMAZING. to “naftali cohen” stop calling attention to something you are trying to hide.
motek
Insensitive people – this is an outrageous op-ed.
Whatever happened it is a rachmonos on Guma and his family. He is a huge baal tzedoko and baal teshuvah who is clearly troubled.
Say tehillim for him and his family. Do not pronounce a death sentence on hmi. You are not G-d.
We have become like the goyim, obssessed with news and scoops.
When this broke nobody bothered organizing tehillim rallies etc.
Come on – we are supposed to be different.
Stop this offensive and outrageous speculation and behave like yidden
Unimpressed
Who cares? this is not, NOT important or even interesting except in a lurid way.