A South Florida property manager is facing serious criminal charges after authorities say she funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars from homeowners association accounts into her own pockets, using the money for cosmetic procedures, shopping sprees, and vacations before disappearing.
According to Fox News, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office has secured an arrest warrant for 46-year-old Alexandra Delacaridad Gonzalez, who worked for Avant-Garde Property Management.
Gonzalez is charged with two counts of fraud over $50,000, two counts of grand theft, 61 counts of uttering false instruments, and 59 counts of embezzlement. Her total bond has been set at $1.35 million.
Investigators say Gonzalez systematically wrote checks to herself from HOA accounts, covering her tracks with fake invoices and falsified ledger entries. She is also accused of forging the signatures of authorized account holders to keep the scheme hidden.
Subpoenaed records reportedly show the stolen funds were spent on personal expenses, including vacations, shopping, and elective plastic surgery. Authorities believe the fraud continued over an extended period before being detected.
The alleged theft was first uncovered by the affected homeowners associations, who then reported it to law enforcement. So far, the identified victims include the Whitemarsh Reserve Homeowners Association and The Dunes of Hutchinson Island.
“The alleged scheme involved deliberate deception and significant theft from community accounts,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information about Gonzalez’s whereabouts or who suspects their HOA may have been targeted similarly to contact law enforcement immediately.
Authorities warn that the investigation is ongoing and additional charges or victims could emerge as they continue to review the property manager’s financial activities.
Gonzalez’s alleged actions have sparked outrage among the affected communities, highlighting the vulnerability of HOAs to internal fraud and the importance of financial oversight.
