A Miami realtor is facing grand theft charges after police say he collected deposits and rent for properties he wasn't the listing agent for, police said Monday.
Jorge E. Gomez, 47, was arrested Thursday on two counts of grand theft in the rental scheme, Miami-Dade Police said.
According to police, Gomez, a licensed realtor, had deceived two victims by leading them to believe he was the listing agent for properties they wished to rent.
He fraudulently drafted lease agreements and collected money for security deposit and first and last month's rent, police said.
In one instance, a woman paid $2,700 to rent a property in Homestead with a move in date in March, according to a police report. As the victim's move-in date came near, she couldn't get a hold of Gomez, and when she called the property manager, she discovered that Gomez was never authorized to rent the property, the report said.
The second victim had also paid to rent a property that it turned out Gomez wasn't authorized to rent, the report said. That victim had paid Gomez $5,250 and had even received a key to the property from Gomez.
According to the report, Gomez had stolen the key from a lockbox. The woman called Gomez several times, and when she finally got a hold of him, he "advised that he had a drug problem and needed the money," the report said.
Gomez was booked into Miami-Dade jail. It was unknown whether he has an attorney.
Police say there may be other victims of the rental scheme, and they're asking anyone with information to contact Miami-Dade Police at 305-994-1000.
