A Florida couple is accused of stealing wealth through a simple scam that costs less than a dollar to execute. Victor Rodriguez, 50, and his wife Michelle Cherry, 33, allegedly forged “resignation letters” to illegally transfer ownership of homes in Tampa and Miami-Dade counties, including a property owned by Rodriguez’s former father-in-law. Fox News reported.
Rodriguez’s ex-wife Caroline Sawyer became aware of the scam when she learned that ownership of her father’s properties had changed hands through a resignation letter. “We questioned, how did this happen?” Ms. Sawyer said. “Who makes the signature of a dead person? who does that?”
According to officials, the scam involved forging signatures on quitclaim deeds – a legal document that transfers ownership of a property with the owner’s consent. However, these documents can be easily manipulated. Fraudsters require only a notary and two signatures to process a transaction, often for as little as 70 cents in Florida.
Rodriguez and Cherry allegedly used the same scam at another Tampa property belonging to Larry and Dreama Bilby. The Bilbys were stunned when they discovered in February that someone had forged their signatures and transferred ownership of their home, which was vacant at the time and under construction.
“I was so angry, I almost couldn’t talk,” Dreama Bilby told FOX13.
Hillsborough County Clerk Cindy Stuart explained how easy it was to commit fraud. “All it requires is a notary and two signatures with the address listed next to them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Caroline Sawyer and her family are fighting her ex-husband in court. “The hardest thing for us emotionally has been just trying to protect our father and his legacy,” she told the outlet.
To prove the forgery, Ms. Sawyer’s family hired a handwriting expert and incurred significant legal fees.
Rodriguez and Cherry were arrested in March and have pleaded innocent. Rodriguez’s legal team has maintained his innocence. “Mr. Rodriguez maintains his innocence and our office is entrusted with the responsibility of protecting his rights,” his lawyers said in a statement. They said they are committed to ensuring justice and fairness in the legal proceedings.
