A glamorous wife and her husband allegedly scammed a couple out of their Tampa home in a brazen scam that cost just 70 cents.
Michelle Cherry and Victor Rodriguez are accused of falsifying documents to defraud homeowners out of their property, in a plot that now has officials scrambling to change state laws.
Security footage taken at the Hillsborough County Clerk’s office shows the shocking moment Cherry and Rodriguez brazenly worked to pull off the same stunt in multiple cases, with the couple accused of taking the deeds to three properties.
Now his alleged victims are fighting to reclaim their own homes and face a series of lengthy legal battles, spending large sums of money and time to put it right.
Prosecutors allege Michelle Cherry (pictured) and her husband, Victor Rodriguez, stole three properties from unsuspecting homeowners.
One of the houses Cherry and Rodriguez burglarized belonged to Larry and Drea Bilby (pictured), who are still fighting to get their name back on the deed to their property.
Prosecutors say the couple posed as different owners and spoke to employees, apparently showing them the falsified documents.
During these appearances, Cherry and Rodriguez allegedly used fraudulent property titles for the scam.
Quitclaim deeds (documents that can quickly transfer ownership of a home) allow scammers to steal homes with alarming ease.
“They searched for properties they believed were abandoned and then used online information to forge signatures on these deeds and file them with the clerk of court,” said Florida Attorney Mike Lennon. alphabet.
Lennon said there has been a “huge increase” in the number of these scams.
‘Having someone steal your property is like stealing the American dream. It’s terrible,’ he said.
The Bilbys did not live in the house when it was robbed because it was under construction.
Security footage taken at the Hillsborough County Clerk’s Office shows Cherry and Rodriguez visiting the facility on several occasions.
According to prosecutors, Cherry and Rodriguez used their sordid tactic to rob Larry and Drea Bilby’s home.
‘Just like that, they rob your house. It’s gone,” Drea said.
“It only costs 70 cents and some paperwork,” Larry added.
The Bilbys were not living in their house when it was burglarized because the property was under construction.
But the couple frequently checked the security cameras in their home. They have images that appear to show Cherry and her husband hanging around their property.
In the security cameras, taken on several different occasions, Rodriguez and Cherry appear to have parked their car in Bilby’s driveway. At certain points you can see the alleged scammers looking through the windows of the house.
‘They took our electricity bill and our water bill. They took our name out and put their names on it,” Larry Bilby said.
The fraud would not have gone unnoticed had it not been for the county clerk’s office, which was alarmed by the change in title to the house.
‘Every time something is filed against your property, you receive an alert, whether it’s a phone call, text message or email. “It’s a free service,” said local court clerk Cindy Stuart.
Prosecutors say Cherry ran a scam that cost him as little as 70 cents.
Cherry allegedly used quitclaim deeds (documents that can quickly transfer ownership of a home) to perpetrate his fraud.
Even as Tampa police opened an investigation into Cherry, the alleged scammer continued to visit the Bilby property.
In the body camera video, she can be seen standing outside the house, insisting that it belongs to her.
‘I own it. “I’m in the current writing,” Cherry tells police.
In March, Cherry and Rodriguez were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.
Prosecutors believe robbing the homes was just the first step in a broader nefarious plan.
“They were stealing these properties with the intention of trying to obtain loans on the properties or trying to sell them to unsuspecting buyers,” attorney Lennon said.
In March, Cherry and Rodriguez were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.
Victor Rodriguez (pictured) and his wife allegedly used home title deeds (documents that can quickly transfer ownership of a home) to perpetrate their fraud.
Cherry and Rodriguez pleaded not guilty. While Cherry had no comment, Rodriguez’s attorney said his client “maintains his innocence.”
If convicted, the suspects face up to 285 years in prison.
The Bilbys are still fighting to get their name back on the title of their home, but this has required a lot of money, time and legal work.
The ease with which Cherry and Rodriguez carried out their alleged fraud has led some officials to call for stricter property laws that make it more difficult to use quick claim deeds to sell homes.
“The fact that the form is so simple and requires so little documentation is problematic,” Cindy Stuart said.
‘Having someone steal your property is like stealing the American dream. “It’s terrible,” said Florida prosecutor Mike Lennon.
To avoid a similar scam, authorities say it is essential to check with your local clerk’s office, as they oversee titles and deeds.
All counties now offer homeowners access to the real estate fraud alert system.
He contacts people the moment the deed to their house is changed. Drea urged homeowners to sign up for the free service.
“If you don’t sign up for the real estate fraud alert, you’re simply asking about the possibility of the same thing happening to us that happened to us,” he said.
