Who was Steve Alembik? Controversial GOP donor reportedly dies in attempted murder-suicide

Steve Alembik, a controversial GOP donor who once contributed to former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's campaigns, reportedly died in an attempted murder/suicide last week. Alembik’s death was confirmed by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, October 17, 2023.

Authorities said that on October 10, Steven Alembik, 72, shot a woman before turning the gun on himself in a parking lot behind the BurgerFi restaurant west of Delray Beach, 7959 W Atlantic Ave.

The woman suspected to be Steven Alembik’s wife reportedly survived after being shot in the arm and back and ran inside the restaurant. She was taken to a local hospital, where she is recovering from her injuries.

However, Steven Alembik was pronounced dead at the scene. As authorities continued to investigate a potential motive for the incident, the New York Post, citing people close to the late GOP donor, said that he suffered from underlying mental health issues.

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All we know about Steve Alembik as GOP Donor dies in attempted murder-suicide

The late GOP Donor has made headlines over the years on his controversial remarks that prompted the then Florida Gov. Rick Scott and DeSantis' senate campaign to distance themselves from his often racist and inflammatory rhetoric.

In 2017, Steve Alembik moved a charity gala for his newly formed pro-Israel nonprofit group, Truth About Israel, from a resort to Mar-a-Lago after several people pulled their donations following Trump’s statement that there were “many fine people” in Charlotteville.

In 2018, Steve Alembik, who was often seen dressed in a flamboyant flag suit, referred to former President Obama as a “f*king Muslim N***r” and later went on to defend what he said denying claims that he was a racist. At the time, Alembik, who donated more than $20,000 to Ron DeSantis, said:

“So somebody like Chris Rock can get up on stage and use the word and there’s no problem? But some white guy says it and he’s a racist? Really?” “I grew up in New York in the ‘50s,” Alembik told Politico while acknowledging he used the word in anger. “We were the ki***s. They were the n****s. They were the goyim, and those were the s***s,” he added.

Alembik, a self-employed data and email services provider who founded the company, SMA Communications LLC in Boca Raton, later deleted the inflammatory tweet. Shortly after, Rick Scott and De Santis' Senate campaign distanced itself from Alembik.

“We will be donating his contribution to Shriners Hospital. These comments are disgusting. As the governor has said, there is no room for any racial politics here in Florida. No attempts to divide people by race or ethnicity will be tolerated,” Scott’s Senate campaign told POLITICO.

According to the Miami Herald, Steve Alembik was arrested in December 2018 on domestic violence charges that were later dismissed. Meanwhile, in a statement on X formerly Twitter a pro-Trump activist Laura Loomer mourned the passing away of Steve Alembik described as a wonderful, and kind-hearted man.