Los Angeles police are searching for two suspects accused of running a sophisticated rental scam involving counterfeit checks and fake identities, targeting landlords across multiple neighborhoods, including Hollywood and Larchmont.
Landlord Michael Renkow believed he was renting to legitimate tenants after conducting standard background checks.
“They showed up with a cashier’s check,” Renkow said. “My inexperience—I gave them the keys thinking cashier’s checks don’t bounce. I learned the hard way they do when they’re fraudulent.”
Another victim, Jason Katz, said he received a bank notification that the payment was returned.
“This can’t be—a cashier’s check never gets returned,” he recalled.
According to LAPD investigators, the suspects—who introduced themselves as “Manuel” and “Igor”—use fake IDs with their real photos but someone else’s personal information. Those fraudulent identities are then used to produce counterfeit cashier’s checks to secure a rental.
“When the victim finds out the checks are counterfeit, someone has already moved in—but it’s not the person who originally rented the apartment,” said LAPD Detective Juan Campos.
Police say the suspects immediately sublet the units to unsuspecting renters, leaving landlords trapped in a legal mess.
Katz managed to remove the fraudulent tenant, but Renkow is now stuck in an eviction process.
“California is very tenant-friendly,” said former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani. “It can take weeks or months for landlords to get a court order.”
No arrests have been made. LAPD has released photos of the suspects known as “Manuel” and “Igor” and continues to seek tips from the public.
