Police arrest suspects in rental scam

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008 | 3:15 p.m.

Melissa Cowen

Emilio Gonzales

A man and a woman have been arrested in what Metro Police described as a vacant home rental scam.

A California resident who owned a vacant home near Russell Road and Jones Boulevard arrived in Las Vegas more than a week ago and found a mother and two children living in the house, police said.

The mother told the owner that she had been renting the home for several months. She said she had signed a contract and had paid rent to a woman she knew as "Melinda Hertz."

The mother gave police handwritten rental receipts. She said that she had seen an ad on the Craigslist Web site offering a house for rent. She spoke by phone to a woman calling herself "Melinda," police said.

"Melinda" claimed to be the landlord and the two women agreed on the amount of monthly rent and deposits totaling several thousand dollars. "Melinda" agreed to meet the mother each month at a different location and directed her to pay the rent in cash only.

Metro's Enterprise area command problem solving unit observed the mother hand over cash to a man and a woman Monday in a nearby restaurant. After the money changed hands, officers moved in and arrested the couple.

"Melinda" was identified as 26-year-old Melissa Cowan of Las Vegas. The man has been identified as 56-year-old Emilio Gonzales of Las Vegas. Gonzales claimed to be a licensed Realtor and had a business card with the name of a local real estate office, police said.

Police are not releasing the name of the real estate office used on the business card because it may have been used as part of the fraud.

The two have been booked into the Clark County Detention Center on three counts each of obtaining money under false pretenses, conspiracy to obtain money under pretenses and a single count of burglary.

Police warn potential renters that all business conducted in restaurants or coffee shops away from any type of formal office indicates a possible rental scam.

A legitimate landlord should be able to provide an actual business address, police said.

All rental contracts and receipts should have business information that can be verified by prospective tenants.

Another indication of a scam is that all business is done in cash, police said.

Police believe that the mother is not the only victim of this scam. Anyone who has rented a house or other property from "Melinda" or Gonzales under similar circumstances is urged to review their documents and contact police if they believe they may be victims.

Those with information regarding the case can contact Officers Zinger at 828-2881 or Farris at 828-4831. Residents can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Discussion: 2 comments so far…

By hereinvegas

9/6/08 at 1:36 p.m.

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I always check out the landlord by using the Clark County Assessors Office website. You can verify the owners name and even get a phone number from their paperwork that was filed by the title company. Research your investments!! It only takes a few minutes and you can optain enough information about the landlord and verify through public records. NEVER PAY IN CASH!! At least use a money order, at least you will have a receipt. A third party renting out a home will have all the right credentials, but check them out anyway. Public records are available for free if you know how to look.
By koji

1/12/09 at 8 a.m.

Suggest removal

Scrupulously Elaborated Fraud Scheme Taints Japanese Corporations
by David Schneider email: david_lawyer@walla.com

It is known there are many hidden obstacles on the way to success in business. One chooses to overcome them legally going through thick and thin, others prefer to speculate upon a fraud scheme to tear out some money. For instance, the Russian Federation allows the latter to prosper and not to be accused of their heinous deeds since the Russian legislation is used selectively and corruption has become a norm of life.
In our case, representatives of Toshiba Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation LT, Inc. ( ) (http://www.mclogi.com/) have been working successfully in partnership for many years in Russia. Nevertheless, they, Mr. Naohiro Baba and Mr. Koichiro Natsume, had decided to snatch a large sum using Mr. Vadim Danilov and his clients.
Mr. Danilov was convinced by Mr. Baba that he had been registered as an official Toshiba trader -- the Ninth Wave operating from the UK. In addition, Mr. Danilov was declared that NANA Eurooppa OY (NANA Europe Ltd.), and NANA Baltic OY were his sub-dealers, as well as all the companies which had been invited by Mr. Danilov to Toshiba's Conference also become his sub-dealers. So, Mr. Danilov worked hard believing that his current position is a real one and promising future promotions.
To his luck, Mr. Danilov had uncovered the scheme while checking fake invoices and seeing asset misappropriation in bills. Moreover, the Ninth Wave (faked trader of Toshiba) was responsible for delivery and sale of broken appliances already covered by insurance company. As a result, he started finding out the data with Mr. Baba and Mr. Natsume but they preferred to fade away from Russia and kick back Mr. Danilov leaving him in debts.

Nowadays, Mr. Danilov had been obliged to return "the funds received" from Toshiba Corporation. He has been struggling for his rights and compensation for material and moral damages for 33 months.