Timeshare Resale Firm Raided in Orlando, FL

• Tweet
• Share
• Email

• Tweet
• Share
• Email

ORLANDO — Following complaints from timeshare owners from Florida to Canada, officers from the Orlando Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics team stormed into an illegal
telemarketing timeshare operation in Metrowest.

OPD said the company, the second one raided in the past month, is taking customers’ money but not giving them what they paid for.

Worker Aaron Thomas said he was surprised when the OPD officers raided the Timeshare Express Management office down the hall from him in Veranda Park.

“There were 20 to 30 SWAT team agents barreling down the hall,” said Thomas.

Officials from the Special Weapons and Tactic team said the employees had a quick response as well.

“The employees went for the windows and started throwing evidence out the windows, cell phones, drugs,” said OPD Economic Crimes Sgt. Amy Ameye.

Timeshare owners had filed complaints with OPD alleging that the workers obtained their information illegally and would cold call them, offering to sell their timeshare at $2,000 to $4,000 charge for closing costs and title work.

“Once that money is sent, however, you never hear from these people again,” said Ameye. “That’s the typical timeshare scam.”

After the raid was conducted, Ameye said investigators searched floor-to-ceiling, collecting bags and boxes of evidence, computers and their big profits board.

At least 11 workers were arrested on the spot and will be charged, police said.

Police arrested 19-year-old Dominion Crupi and 26-year-old Michael Malgesini on charges of unlicensed telemarketing and scheme to defraud. Another suspected employee, 27-year-old Julie Spencer, was arrested on an out-of-county warrant involving a misdemeanor traffic violation. Steven Svopa, 23, was charged with driving with a suspended license.

The raid happened in an office building on Hiawassee Boulevard in the MetroWest area. Police say the suite targeted was being used as a so-called “boiler room,” where telemarketers cold-called timeshare owners from illegally obtained lists, claiming to have a buyer for their vacation property. “They were given a hard-sell,” said Sgt. Amy Ameye, of the city’s economic crimes unit. “They were told, ‘If you send money… we will get the paperwork going, we will get your timeshare sold for you ASAP.'”

However, investigators say there were never any buyers. Instead, they say the telemarketers were pocketing up-front fees and offering no service in return.

Victim of a Timeshare Fraud? File Your Report!