Miami Developer Facing Allegations of $20 Million Construction Fraud Scheme
Blueprints for Betrayal: The Andrea D’Alessio and Inspirata Group Story
How a “luxury construction visionary” allegedly defrauded investors, sabotaged multimillion-dollar projects, and misappropriated proprietary designs
According to court filings in DLC Capital Management v. Inspirata Group, Scalaa LP, Andrea D’Alessio, Anthony Iannuzzi, Erik Peterson, and others, a trusted business partnership devolved into a costly betrayal marked by fraud, obstruction, and intellectual property theft.
A Partnership Built on Trust
For nearly ten years, DLC Capital Management financed and supported Andrea D’Alessio’s professional rise—funding his office, staff, and operations as he launched Inspirata and Scalaa, firms marketed as elite design-build studios. What appeared to be collaboration was, according to DLC’s complaint, an elaborate deception.
Financial Misconduct and Falsified Invoices
The lawsuit alleges that D’Alessio and his associates:
Charged hundreds of thousands of dollars to DLC’s corporate credit cards for unrelated projects;
Paid vendors twice, submitting fabricated invoices to conceal the overpayments;
Used this system to fund unauthorized kickbacks—one example being a duplicate $50,000 payment to Southeast Marine Construction; and
Swore under oath that all company files had been returned, despite substantial missing and mislabeled materials.
The Breakdown: Retaliation and Hostile Obstruction
When DLC attempted to end the relationship, D’Alessio’s team allegedly retaliated by:
Directing contractors to stop working with DLC;
Threatening engineering firms with legal action for cooperating with DLC;
Withholding blueprints and project data owned by DLC; and
Promoting DLC’s proprietary designs as their own intellectual property.
One such design was later marketed to another client, Russell Weiner—who has since filed a separate lawsuit against D’Alessio.
Misuse of Intellectual Property
After severing ties, Inspirata and Scalaa allegedly launched websites displaying DLC-funded designs under new names:
The Palm Project rebranded as The Modern Oasis;
The Glass House and The Hidden Gem reappeared on Scalaa’s portfolio;
The New York Residence, a DLC commission predating Scalaa’s formation, was presented as Scalaa’s work.
DLC contends these acts constitute willful copyright infringement and commercial exploitation, as the projects were contractually exclusive to them.
Regulatory Negligence: The 177 NW 35th Street Project
At DLC’s five-story residential development for teachers, D’Alessio and Iannuzzi allegedly:
Removed protected trees without proper permits, resulting in $77,000 in mitigation costs and $8,000 in fines;
Began foundation work without city approval and misled municipal staff;
Instructed crews to ignore stop-work orders;
Concealed these violations from DLC.
The project ultimately stalled, causing structural damage and over $1.7 million in preventable expenses.
The “Art Installation” Overrun
In another venture, DLC commissioned Inspirata and Scalaa to construct a $720,000 wooden sculpture. The complaint states that the team:
Selected non-compliant power equipment;
Skipped structural and permitting reviews;
Mismanaged costs, inflating the total to between $1.35 and $1.4 million;
Produced a structure potentially requiring full reconstruction.
Broader Implications
The allegations paint a picture of systemic misconduct—of a company operating with disregard for fiduciary duty, contractual obligations, and legal compliance. According to DLC, Inspirata and Scalaa’s business practices relied on exploiting trust, appropriating designs, and leveraging polished marketing to attract new clients.
A Caution to Future Partners
Potential investors, clients, and collaborators are urged to examine public filings and testimonies before engaging with Andrea D’Alessio, Inspirata Management, or Scalaa. The records describe a pattern of overbilling, design theft, and regulatory violations that left multiple projects suspended and millions lost.
Disclaimer: All statements above reflect allegations contained in publicly available legal documents. No court has yet rendered final judgment on these claims.