Police in Toronto have arrested a 33-year-old man accused in a string of apartment rental frauds in the city.
Investigators say they received numerous reports from prospective tenants claiming that a man who had rented them a condo in Toronto had taken their deposit and then cut off communication with them.
In each case, the victims say they responded to an online ad about a vacant room in a unit already being rented by the suspect. It’s alleged the suspect stopped responding to the tenant’s calls or texts after he received the money.
Police say some of the victims were adamant and demanded the suspect provide them with a refund. In some cases, they were given a “partial reimbursement” after listening to “various excuses” as to why the suspect was unable to issue a full refund.
The suspect, identified as Michael Adam Lemke, surrendered to police on Friday and was subsequently charged with nine counts of fraud under $5,000 and one count of possession of proceeds obtained by crime.
He was also known to go by the names Michael Krug or Mike Lemke.
He is due to appear in a Toronto courtroom on the charges on Jan. 17.
