José Fanjul
José Fanjul | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1944 Cuba |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Vice chairman and president of Flo-Sun and Florida Crystals; sugar industry executive |
José Francisco "Pepe" Fanjul (born 1944) is a businessman originally from Cuba and the second oldest among the Fanjul brothers, who manage a sugar and real estate conglomerate with an estimated worth of US$8.2 billion. Pepe Fanjul has been subject to scrutiny for utilizing political connections to uphold the federal price support system for sugar, which directly advantages the family’s enterprise, Domino Sugar.
Early life
As the second son of Alfonso Fanjul Sr. and Lillian Rosa Gomez-Mena, Fanjul earned a bachelor's degree from Villanova University and later obtained an MBA from New York University (NYU).
Career
Fanjul holds the positions of vice chairman and president at Flo-Sun, the family-owned sugar cultivation and refining company, as well as at Florida Crystals.
Political interests
A prominent Republican contributor, Fanjul has supported politicians such as George W. Bush and Marco Rubio, and has co-hosted fundraising events for Donald Trump. In contrast, his brother Alfonso Fanjul Jr. has backed Democratic candidates since at least 1992, including serving as co-chair for Bill Clinton’s Florida campaign. Both siblings possess dual Spanish and American citizenships and maintain close relationships with former King Juan Carlos of Spain, expressing readiness to accommodate him in their homes.
In 2012, WikiLeaks disclosed allegations that in 2004 Fanjul attempted to obstruct the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) by bribing foreign officials, despite being a significant donor to Bush’s campaign; these accusations were denied by the family’s legal representatives.
Personal life
Fanjul is married to Emilia May Fanjul; they live in Palm Beach, Florida, and own a residence at 960 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
In 2002, reports emerged suggesting Fanjul contemplated leaving his wife for socialite Nina Griscom but ultimately decided not to proceed.
Their daughter, Emilia Helena Fanjul, wed Brian C. Pfeifler, an executive director at Morgan Stanley, in 2002.
Criticism
Johan Norberg, Swedish author and intellectual historian, pointed out in his 2023 publication The Capitalist Manifesto: Why the Global Free Market Will Save the World that the Fanjul brothers receive approximately $65 million annually in subsidies for their sugar operations in Florida. Norberg emphasized their strategic use of these funds to maintain political backing for ongoing subsidies while adopting a politically neutral approach by hosting fundraisers for both leading candidates in the 2016 presidential election.
In 2010, controversy arose when Fanjul retained Chloe Hardin Black as his executive assistant; she was previously married to David Duke and Don Black—both former Ku Klux Klan leaders, with Don Black also founding the neo-Nazi website Stormfront. It was reported that Florida Crystals partly financed this website through Black’s salary.
Awards
- 2018: Inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame