A Florida couple has been charged with stealing property from homeowners using a surprisingly simple scam that costs less than $1 each.
Victor Rodriguez, 50, and his wife Michelle Cherry, 33, allegedly forged “abandonment deeds” for homes in Tampa and Miami-Dade County that included Rodriguez’s ex-stepfather. It also included real estate he owned. WTVT-TV News coverage.
“We found out that the ownership of all of my father’s properties had been changed through quitclaim deeds,” Caroline Sauer, the ex-wife of the suspected home thief, told the outlet. “We wondered how this could have happened.
Authorities say Michelle Cherry is the mirror image of an ugly con artist. michellecherrys/Instagram Surveillance cameras captured Cherry and her husband, Victor Rodriguez, allegedly forging a deed of abandonment in order to steal a home at the Hillsborough County Clerk’s Office in Florida. hillsborough county clerk
“Who would forge a dead person’s signature? Who would do that?” she said.
A deed of surrender is a document that transfers ownership of real estate with the owner’s consent, but in Florida, criminals can simply forge a signature and take away ownership for as little as 70 cents, according to the Daily.・The Mail reported.
In most states, there is little information available to make the theft process more difficult.
In addition to his ex-stepfather, Rodriguez also worked with Cherry to pull off a similar fraud in Tampa, falsifying records and claiming ownership of Larry and Dreama Bilby’s home, WTVT reported. I told you.
Rodriguez, 50, is accused of falsifying records to obtain title to at least two Florida homes, including one belonging to his ex-stepfather. Cherry, 33, of the Tampa Police Department, and her husband are charged with forging Quit Clam deeds to obtain title to at least two Florida homes. tampa police department
The Bilbys, whose house was under construction and vacant at the time, were shocked to learn in February that they had allegedly walked into the Hillsborough County Clerk’s office and signed the contract for their home. They never were.
“I was so angry I could hardly speak,” Dreama Bilby told the outlet. “I was very angry.”
Hillsborough County Clerk Cindy Stewart said the forgery only requires “a notary public signature and two signatures with the address next to it.”
Larry and Dreama Bilby said Rodriguez and Cherry forged a deed of abandonment to illegally occupy their home, which was under construction at the time. fox 13
Sunshine State Prosecutor Mike Lennon said fraud is becoming more common.
“When someone steals your property, it’s like stealing your American Dream,” he said. “That’s terrible.”
Both Rodriguez and Cherry, who were arrested in March, have pleaded not guilty to fraud charges.
“Mr. Rodriguez maintains his innocence, and our office has a responsibility to protect his rights,” Rodriguez’s attorney told reporters in a statement.
“As his case is currently in active litigation, he is protected by both work product privilege and attorney-client privilege. We are committed to ensuring justice and fairness in the legal process. “We have a responsibility to protect Mr. Rodriguez’s rights and uphold the rule of law,” the statement said.
