Victims used ‘We Found Josh’ WhatsApp group to share clues about accused apartment scammer

6 hours ago 5

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Nineteen radical successful a WhatsApp radical chat shared clues astir the antheral they ― and constabulary ― said was a serial flat rental scammer successful South Florida and elsewhere.

All of them said they were victims of a antheral they knew arsenic “Josh Herrera.” And they’re grateful helium was arrested.

Authorities said “Josh Herrera” was the alias of Joshua Jeshurun Harrison, 37, of Miami. Local 10 News first reported connected the case connected Thursday.

A radical member, who asked to beryllium identified lone by her archetypal sanction of Amanda, told Local 10 News that she fell unfortunate to Harrison erstwhile she and her kids were packed and needing an apartment.

She said she made a station connected Facebook Marketplace and Harrison, presenting himself arsenic a charming existent property agent, answered.

But authorities said helium wasn’t a broker astatine all. They said helium pretended to person entree to aggregate properties and past took prospective renters’ deposits.

“He was trying to marque it look similar helium owned these houses, and past helium ever switched up his story,” a unfortunate said successful a dependable signaling successful the radical chat. “That’s however we knew (there were) similar reddish flags toward the end, due to the fact that past helium was like, ‘No, I don’t ain them.’”

Authorities said Harrison had helpers, including Jose Adolfo Lopez, 29, of Chicago, who was arrested by South Miami constabulary on with Harrison connected Wednesday.

Joshua Harrison and Jose Lopez (MDCR)

Amanda said the acquisition “drained” her.

“I got depressed. I mislaid weight, I mislaid hair,” Amanda said. “I astir ended up successful the street.”

“I called him crying, screaming, begging to instrumentality the wealth truthful I could rent thing other legally,” she said of Harrison.

Amanda was 1 of the victims who Zoomed into Miami-Dade enslaved court implicit the weekend, begging the justice to contradict Harrison bond. She did springiness him bond, but acceptable it astatine $1.25 million.

“He wounded dozens of radical and I judge if he’s released, helium volition tally oregon support scamming others,” 1 of them said.

MDBC (WPLG)

Members of the “We Found Josh” shared their ain probe and discoveries of different radical who they deliberation Harrison whitethorn beryllium moving with.

“I recovered retired successful my probe that he’s been successful LA, Georgia, Tampa, Orlando and Miami,” Amanda said. “So far, this probe is not over. This is conscionable the opening and I’m excited for it. We privation justice.”

If Harrison posts the hefty enslaved total, he’ll person to beryllium connected location apprehension and volition beryllium barred from utilizing the means he’s alleged to person recovered his victims: the Internet.