CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Coral Gables police say a 47-year-old unlicensed contractor ripped off two of the city’s residents. He’s now facing multiple felony charges.
Jose R. Arana, who has addresses in Miami’s Coral Gate neighborhood and just outside of Allapattah, is accused of taking money and, in one case, not finishing a job, and in another, not even starting work.
Police said in May 2024, Arana ― operating “Exclusive Works Group” ― provided a $241,600 estimate to remodel a victim’s home on Los Pinos Boulevard and asked for $15,000 up front. According to an arrest report, he “never returned to (the) home or conducted any work.”
Authorities said Arana instead asked for more money, which the victim didn’t give to him.
Meanwhile, police said that November, a resident on Alcazar Avenue hired Arana to perform a home renovation, paying him more than $200,000. According to an arrest report, a laundry list of tasks had yet to be completed as of Monday, including electrical, paint and plumbing work.
Considering all the work that wasn’t finished, police said the victim estimated that Arana left him out about $100,000, all told.
Authorities said Miami police took Arana into custody after he tried to use a fake identification to get a player’s club card at the Magic City Casino at 450 NW 37th Ave. on Sunday evening.
The Nicaraguan national was arrested on a charge of using a stolen or forged identification card as an unauthorized alien and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Coral Gables police were made aware of his arrest and went to TGK on Monday to formally arrest him on additional charges: two each of grand theft, organized scheme to defraud and contracting without a license.
As of Tuesday, Arana remained at TGK on a $13,500 bond and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.
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