MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A fraud case involving two men accused of posing as real estate brokers to scam renters took a dramatic turn in Miami-Dade bond court Saturday, as several alleged victims confronted one of the suspects on Zoom, and a judge raised serious concerns about what detectives might be a growing scheme.
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Joshua Jeshurun Harrison, 37, of Miami, appeared before a judge Saturday afternoon, just two days after South Miami police said he and Jose Adolfo Lopez, 29, of Chicago, scammed a woman out of $1,800 by falsely promising to help her secure a new apartment.
But in court, multiple additional victims described similar encounters with Harrison, urging Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Stephanie Silver to keep him behind bars.
“We beg you not to let him out on bond — he has scammed many victims,” one woman said.
“Joshua Harrison scammed my roommate out of $6,000 in Atlanta,” another alleged victim told the court. “He’s running a ring.”
A third victim, who identified herself as Jada, said Harrison promised her and her friends a place to live, only to leave them stranded.
“I was scammed out of money and a place to live. He promised to help me and my friends, then left us on the street. Once he got the money, he disappeared — just excuses and lies,“ she said. ”He fled the state to avoid consequences. He’s harmed dozens, shows no remorse and must be held accountable. He also scammed my teammates out of $10,000.”
Two others also spoke, including one woman who said she was scammed for $2,300 in Miami and another who described how Harrison defrauded her and her international student roommates out of nearly $10,000.
“He should not be released — he has money for bond because he’s scammed so many people,” the woman said.
Silver, while questioning her legal ability to remand Harrison entirely, expressed deep concerns.
She said Harrison allegedly used Instagram and Zelle to carry out his schemes, and said he was “definitely a risk to the community.“
“He was taking advantage of people. He is not getting out anytime soon,” she said. Silver also said the FBI should be involved.
Harrison now faces multiple felony charges across four active criminal cases:
- Communications fraud ($300 or more), third-degree grand theft, and acting as a real estate broker without a license
- Communications fraud ($300 or more) – bond set at $50,000
- Organized fraud ($20,000 or less), grand theft (third degree), and acting as a real estate broker without a license
- Co-organized scheme to defraud, grand theft (third degree), and acting as a real estate broker without a license
In total, Harrison’s bond was set at $1.25 million, and the judge ordered Level 1 house arrest with bond required in all cases and no access to the internet.
Harrison, using the name “Joshua Herrera,” allegedly befriended a woman at the Empire Lounge on U.S. 1 in South Miami and claimed to be a licensed real estate broker with access to units at a complex known as Modera.
Authorities said after the woman ended her lease based on that promise, he provided photos and told her the application was in process. When there were “delays,” Harrison offered to let her stay in an Airbnb unit he claimed to own.
The woman was later locked out. Airbnb told her the host hadn’t paid.
When she contacted Modera apartments directly, they told her Harrison and Lopez were not affiliated and no application had ever been submitted, according to the report.
The woman claims that she never got her $1,800 back.
Both men were arrested Wednesday and initially faced three felony charges: communications fraud, grand theft, and acting as a real estate broker without a license.
Police believe there may be more victims and urge anyone with information to call South Miami police at 305-663-6301 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
Local 10 Assignment Editor Carson Merlo and Local 10 Digital Journalist Chris Gothner contributed to this story.
