SOUTH MIAMI, Fla. — According to South Miami police, two males defrauded a woman of $1,800 by pretending to be real estate agents who could assist her in moving into a new apartment.
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However, authorities claimed that because there was no apartment, the woman was never able to move in.
Jose Adolfo Lopez, 29, of Chicago, and Joshua Jeshurun Harrison, 37, of Miami, are now each charged with three felonies.
The woman met Harrison, who she knew as Joshua Herrera, at the Empire Lounge off U.S. 1 and struck up a casual discussion that turned into a daily companionship, according to the arrest report.
According to authorities, the victim reported an infestation of insects at her current residence in May and stated her intention to relocate.
According to the investigation, Harrison claimed to be a licensed real estate broker during a talk at the lounge. He had access to a number of properties, including apartments at a complex called Modera. (He) informed the victim that before moving forward, she would have to end her current lease. She was then notified that her application was being processed and shown digital photos of a Modera flat.
Harrison then offered to temporarily put her at an Airbnb he owned off Southwest 59th Place, according to the police, but claimed there were issues with the Modera paperwork.
According to the complaint, after moving into the apartment, the victim started having problems with the electronic door code, which kept locking her out.
According to the police, the woman called Airbnb assistance, and a representative informed her that the door would be deactivated if no money was received.
According to the report, the victim then got in touch with Modera Apartments directly and was told that neither Harrison nor Lopez were connected to the complex and that no rental application had been filed under her name.
According to the authorities, the woman requested a refund but did not get any of the $1,800 she sent back to the males.
Harrison and Lopez were taken into custody by police on Wednesday. They are accused of grand theft, communications fraud, and operating as unlicensed real estate brokers.
According to court documents, Harrison is also involved in a communications fraud case from West Miami. For more information, Local 10 News has asked for a copy of the arrest report in that particular instance.
The two may have targeted more victims, according to South Miami police. They urged anyone with information or who believes they were a victim to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or 305-663-6301.
Records indicate that as of Thursday, Lopez was scheduled to bond out of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, and Harrison was being detained on a $5,000 bond.
