A fourth person was arrested Tuesday for her alleged role in a real estate theft ring that involved more than $12 million worth of property in Broward County.
Inesa Florea, 37, and booked into jail and faces several charges, including grand theft and filing false documents. Back in March, three alleged ringleaders were arrested and accused in a criminal enterprise where investigators say the suspects unlawfully obtained homes and claimed them as their own for money.
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Investigators said 14 properties worth $12 million were targeted as part of the criminal enterprise.
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Michael Dupree, 51, Tyrone Jones, 45, Yury Domatov, 50, were accused of allegedly using fake court documents to steal people’s homes.
Broward County property appraiser Marty Kiar broke down how the alleged scheme worked when the suspects were first arrested back in March. The suspects were allegedly filing lawsuits in court, falsely claiming that the owners of the targeted properties no longer wanted the home because it was in bad condition.
"The return of service would go to another person who was with them," Kiar said. "He would say, 'Oh yes, I’m the representative of that homeowner,' or 'I’m the representative of that bank.' And, he would file an answer saying, we agree, we no longer want this property, put it in the name or the other man or put it in his company. Orders would be issued and they would steal properties."
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Officials said the suspected scheme was discovered after the real property owner was visiting a home he owned in Dania Beach and ran into alleged associates of Domatov, who claimed they were the property owners.
