Miami-Dade bond court on Saturday saw a dramatic turn in a fraud case involving two men who are accused of posing as real estate brokers to defraud renters. A judge expressed grave concerns about what detectives believe may be an expanding scheme after several alleged victims confronted one of the suspects on Zoom.
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Two days after South Miami police said that he and Jose Adolfo Lopez, 29, of Chicago, defrauded a woman of $1,800 by making a fake promise to help her find a new apartment, Joshua Jeshurun Harrison, 37, of Miami, appeared before a judge on Saturday afternoon.
However, several other victims testified in court about their experiences with Harrison, pleading with Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Stephanie Silver to keep him incarcerated.
One woman remarked, “We implore you not to release him on bond because he has defrauded numerous victims.”
The court was informed by another claimed victim that Joshua Harrison defrauded my roommate of $6,000 in Atlanta. He is in charge of a ring.
According to a third victim, Jada, Harrison left her and her pals stranded after promising them a place to live.
I was defrauded of both money and housing. He abandoned my friends and I on the street after promising to aid. She claimed that after he received the money, he vanished and only made false claims and excuses. In order to escape punishment, he left the state. He needs to be held responsible for hurting dozens of people and displaying no remorse. In addition, he defrauded my teammates of $10,000.
Other speakers included a woman who said she was duped of $2,300 in Miami and another who detailed how Harrison had cheated her and her roommates, who were international students, out of about $10,000.
He shouldn’t be allowed to go. The woman claimed that because he has defrauded so many others, he has money for bond.
Silver voiced serious concerns but questioned her legal authority to completely remand Harrison.
She said Harrison was unquestionably a danger to the community and that he allegedly utilized Zelle and Instagram to carry out his plots.
People were being taken advantage of by him. She stated that he would not be leaving anytime soon. Silver said that the FBI ought to be consulted.
Harrison is now dealing with four ongoing criminal prosecutions and numerous felony charges:
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Communications fraud ($300 or more), third-degree grand theft, and acting as a real estate broker without a license
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Communications fraud ($300 or more) bond set at $50,000
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Organized fraud ($20,000 or less), grand theft (third degree), and acting as a real estate broker without a license
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Co-organized scheme to defraud, grand theft (third degree), and acting as a real estate broker without a license
Harrison’s bond was set at $1.25 million in total, and the judge imposed Level 1 house arrest, which includes no internet access and bond requirements in all situations.
Harrison allegedly made friends with a woman at the Empire Lounge on U.S. 1 in South Miami while posing as Joshua Herrera. Harrison claimed to be a registered real estate broker who had access to apartments in the Modera complex.
According to the authorities, he gave her pictures and informed her that the application was being processed after the woman terminated her lease on the basis of that assurance. Harrison offered to let her stay in an Airbnb apartment he claimed to own throughout the delays.
Later, the woman was barred out. The host hadn’t paid, according to Airbnb.
The report claims that when she called Modera apartments directly, they informed her that Harrison and Lopez were not connected and that no application had ever been made.
According to the woman, she never received her $1,800 back.
Initially charged with three felonies—communications fraud, grand theft, and working as an unlicensed real estate broker—both men were taken into custody on Wednesday.
Police suspect additional victims and want anybody with information to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or South Miami police at 305-663-6301.
This report was written by Chris Gothner, a Local 10 Digital Journalist, and Carson Merlo, an Assignment Editor for Local 10.
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