A Florida couple faces charges of theft of property through a simple scam that cost less than a dollar to complete. Victor Rodriguez, 50, and his wife Michelle Cherry, 33, allegedly forged “quitting deeds” to illegally transfer ownership of homes, including a property owned by Rodriguez’s former father-in-law, in Tampa and Miami-Dade County, Fox News reported.
Caroline Sauer, Rodriguez’s ex-wife, discovered the fraud when she discovered her father’s properties had changed ownership through quitclaim deeds. “We asked how did this happen?” Ms. Sauer said. “Who Forges a Dead Person’s Signature? Who does this?
According to authorities, the fraud involved forging signatures on quitclaim deeds, a legal document that transfers ownership of property with the owner’s consent. However, these documents can be easily manipulated. Scammers only need a notary and two signatures to process the transaction, often for as little as 70 cents in Florida.
Rodriguez and Cherry allegedly used the same scam on another property in Tampa belonging to Larry and Dreama Bilby. The Bilbys were stunned to learn in February that someone had forged their signatures and transferred ownership of their home, which was unoccupied and under construction at the time.
“I was so angry I could hardly speak,” Dreama Bilby told Fox13.
Hillsborough County Clerk Cindy Stewart explained how easy it was to pull off the scam. “All that is required is a notary public and two signatures with an address next to them,” she said.
Meanwhile, Carolyn Sauer and her family are fighting her ex-husband in court. “Emotionally, the hardest thing for us was just trying to protect my dad and his legacy,” she told the publication.
To prove the forgery, Ms. Sauer’s family hired a handwriting expert and paid substantial legal fees.
Rodriguez and Cherry were arrested in March and pleaded not guilty. Rodriguez’s legal team maintains that he is innocent. “Mr. Rodriguez maintains his innocence and our office is entrusted with the responsibility of protecting his rights,” his lawyers said in a statement, adding that they were committed to ensuring “justice and fairness in the legal proceedings.”
