MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — On Tuesday, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office laid out what they said was a pay-to-play kickback scheme responsible for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Miami Beach condo building.

“A property manager taking kickbacks ― it’s bad for condo owners because it secretly flips a manager’s role and his motives and incentives," Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said.

Fernandez Rundle said manager Francisco Obispo, 38, of Miramar, and maintenance employee Jose Hernandez, 52, of North Bay Village, worked together over the last couple of years to steal the money from Euclid East Condominium, located at 1545 Euclid Ave. on South Beach.

Investigators said they found checks that were meant for things like the building’s 40-year recertification. The problem: the amounts on the checks were far more than they should have been ― and Obispo and Hernandez took the extra off the top.

“Kickbacks usually come from vendors who overcharge to hide the bribe,” Fernandez Rundle said. “Owners end up paying more for repairs, maintenance or services than they should be.”

Both men are facing several charges.

Obispo is being held on a $105,000 bond. Hernandez is held on a $15,000 bond.

Duo accused of South Beach condo kickback scheme

About The Author

Brett Knese