Miami-Dade, FL — Two self-proclaimed jewelers are facing serious fraud charges after allegedly selling counterfeit luxury watches worth over $70,000 to a man who believed he was purchasing genuine Rolex timepieces.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Jonathan Parra (37) and Paula Sanchez Zapata (33) claimed to be independent jewelers and convinced the victim the watches were authentic.
The scheme unraveled when the man noticed water inside one of the watches after getting out of a swimming pool. Suspicious, he hired an independent jeweler to evaluate the pieces. The results were shocking: all three watches were fake, and one of them, sold as “new,” was actually more than a decade old, detectives said.
When the victim tried to confront Parra and Sanchez, they reportedly cut off all communication and even blocked him on social media.
Detectives tracked the pair to a residence in Cape Coral, where, with the help of the Cape Coral Police Department, they were arrested. The two are currently awaiting extradition to Miami-Dade County.
Parra and Sanchez are both charged with organized fraud/scheme to defraud $50,000 or more, a serious felony offense in Florida.
Investigators say the couple did not operate from a physical store, instead relying on personal connections and word-of-mouth referrals to build trust with potential buyers.
“What worries us is how organized they were,” said Detective Argemis Colome. “They showed up in a nice car, presented themselves well, and earned people’s trust without any legitimate storefront.”
Authorities are urging buyers to purchase high-end watches only from reputable and authorized dealers to avoid falling victim to such scams.
“If you’ve purchased jewelry from these individuals, have it evaluated by a trusted expert,” Colome added. “If anything seems off, report it to law enforcement immediately.”
Given the pair’s history in the jewelry community, detectives believe there may be more victims who have yet to come forward.
