Moments before his trial was slated to begin this month, Victor Rodriguez pleaded guilty to stealing homes from three homeowners in Hillsborough County with his codefendant and wife, Michelle Cherry, who was ready to testify against him.
As part of a plea deal for this title fraud scheme, he will spend 15 years in prison on the following criminal charges: Organized fraud (over $50,000), conspiracy to commit organized fraud (over $50,000), fraudulent use of personal information (over $100,000 or 30 or more victims), and unlawfully filing a false document.
Rodriguez and Cherry committed the scam by filing forged quit claim deeds at the Hillsborough County Clerk’s Office. These forged deeds placed title to these homes into companies owned by Cherry in 2024. The married couple then worked to strip the equity from the homes by attempting to sell the properties to unsuspecting buyers or by attempting to take out loans against the properties.
For one of the stolen homes, the couple changed the utilities into the name of one of Cherry’s companies and changed the address on her driver’s license in an attempt to fool others into thinking that she was the legitimate owner.
One of the homes was undergoing renovations when the defendants attempted to take over the property by filing a forged quit claim deed. The real homeowners discovered Rodriguez and Cherry on surveillance video collecting mail from their home and even having food delivered after signing the fraudulent deed. When police confronted Rodriguez and Cherry, they maintained they were the real owners of the home.
A thorough investigation unraveled the scheme and two additional cases where the couple scammed homeowners.
“Victor Rodriguez committed property fraud and tried to steal the American Dream from unsuspecting victims. This lengthy prison sentence should send a strong message to property pirates: if you attempt to swindle homeowners in Hillsborough County, you will be held accountable,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
Cherry will be sentenced in court at a later date after accepting a plea deal from the state to testify against her husband if he were to stand trial. She faces a minimum of 10 years behind bars. Chief of Economic Crimes Michael Lennon successfully prosecuted both cases.
Property title theft is a growing trend not only in Hillsborough County, but across the country. Homeowners can protect themselves by signing up for a free property fraud alert system through the Hillsborough County Clerk’s Office.
