The Federal Election Commission has fined two healthcare companies once connected with Miguel ''Mike'' Fernandez $128,000 for improper contributions to the 2004 U.S. Senate campaign of Alex Penelas.

In a news release dated Sept. 11, the FEC said it had entered into conciliation agreements with CarePlus Health Plans and CAC-Florida Medical Centers and Heriberto Valdes, a former CarePlus executive. Valdes agreed to pay a civil penalty of $5,500.

The FEC said its investigation found that Valdes, chief operating officer of CarePlus, ``sent a coercive e-mail to administrators at the company's patient care centers soliciting contributions for the Penelas committee.''

Fernandez, chief executive of the companies, ''directed his executive assistant to carry out tasks during work hours, using corporate resources to plan a fundraiser for the Penelas Committee,'' the FEC report stated. ``Mr. Fernandez also permitted corporate funds to be spent on the fundraiser.''

Lourdes Martin, a spokeswoman for Fernandez, said he was traveling and not available for comment. Valdes could not be located.

The pressure on the healthcare employees to contribute was first revealed by former Miami Herald columnist Jim DeFede in spring 2003. He wrote that senior staff was asked to give $1,000 checks each. Fernandez told DeFede that ``Valdes started the fundraising at my direction.''

DeFede reported: ``I've spoken to a number of lawyers and other experts in campaign finance law who say CarePlus executives may have violated several rules and regulations.''

Five and a half years later, the FEC announced the fine.

Neither the FEC nor Defede reported how much money was raised by Fernandez's actions.

Fernandez sold CarePlus and the CAC clinics to Humana in 2004 for $450 million. Humana spokesman Mitchell Lubitz told The Miami Herald that ``the former shareholders of CarePlus Health Plans and CAC Florida Medical Centers are responsible for paying the fines.''

Fernandez was the primary shareholder of those companies before they were sold.

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