MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) – A Florida man with a surname charity was something after being accused of renting an apartment he didn’t own.
Arrest reports obtained by WPLG show that Stefano, 34, of North Miami Beach, posted a Facebook market ad for the rental apartment unit at the Fortune House Hotel on Northeast 14th Terrace in July 2024.
The report said the victim agreed to lease the unit and sent $2,700 to the charity.
Watch: Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez held on $1 million bonds after appearing at the 1st courthouse
Police said the charity told the victim to send money through Zell to “Liliana Romero.”
According to the news station, an electronic copy of the lease was sent to the victim and said it could be moved on July 18, 2024.
When the victim was about to enter the country, the building management told him that men mislead him to believe he owned the unit, investigators said.
The victim told police that the charity had agreed to meet him and return $2,700, but the charity never showed up.
According to the arrest report, the victim identified the charity in the January 31 photo lineup.
The news station reported that the charity was taken into custody Thursday. He was charged with organized schemes of fraud and grand theft.
