FLORIDA — A Florida couple, Victor Rodriguez, 50, and his wife, Michelle Cherry, 33, have been charged with a deceptive scheme that allegedly involved stealing properties from homeowners by forging quitclaim deeds—an operation that reportedly costs less than $1 to execute.
According to reports, the couple forged documents to transfer ownership of homes in Tampa and Miami-Dade County, including a property owned by Rodriguez’s ex-father-in-law. Caroline Sauer, Rodriguez’s ex-wife, expressed her disbelief, stating, “We found out that the titles of my father’s properties had all changed through quitclaim deeds.”
A quitclaim deed allows property ownership to be transferred with the owner’s consent, but fraudsters can easily forge signatures, acquiring property titles for as little as 70 cents in processing costs in Florida. Many states lack stringent regulations to deter such theft.
Rodriguez and Cherry are also accused of targeting Larry and Dreama Bilby, who were shocked to discover their home had supposedly been signed over while it was under construction and unoccupied. Dreama Bilby recounted her anger upon learning about the forgery, saying, “I was so angry, I almost couldn’t talk.”
Hillsborough County Clerk Cindy Stuart noted that executing such a forgery requires merely a notary and two signatures, raising concerns about the ease of committing property fraud. Prosecutor Mike Lennon remarked on the growing prevalence of these scams, saying, “To have someone steal your property is like stealing the American dream. It’s terrible.”
Both Rodriguez and Cherry, arrested in March, have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Rodriguez’s attorneys emphasized his innocence, stating that their office is committed to protecting his rights as the case proceeds. “Because his case is under active litigation, he is protected by both work product privilege and attorney/client privilege,” they added, asserting their responsibility to ensure justice and fairness.