An alleged con man who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars by posing as an owner of various luxury homes in South Florida is awaiting trial on charges of grand theft, identity theft and organized scheme to defraud, according to the Miami Herald.
George French Jones’ strategy: The alleged scam artist would score loans by posing as a wealthy man and forging documents to try to gain ownership of high-end South Florida homes and condos.
Now Jones is facing criminal cases for trying to gain ownership of a South Beach condo while also trying to take out a $250,000 loan against the property. In two others cases, civil lawyers allege Jones used phony driver licenses and court documents to gain control of a beachfront condo in Fort Lauderdale, as well as a mansion in the Cocoplum neighborhood of Coral Gables, according to the Herald.
Jones and companies connected to Jones reportedly never responded to a lawsuit won by Icon Brickell condo owner Ana Marzal de Bolivar. Her attorneys Henry Bell and Manny Reboso say Jones succeeded in getting a $441,000 loan by signing his own name and Bolivar’s on phony documents in 2015, according to the Herald.
He is currently free on a $30,000 bond, and will have to appear in court on Wednesday. [Miami Herald] – Amanda Rabines