After spending two years in prison and learning what he could on the legal system, Imer Armando Perez (now on probation), has been accused of falsely claiming to be a licensed Florida criminal defense lawyer and conning the family of a “client” for $70,000.
Scotty Posada was looking at a 27-year prison sentence, so his relatives immediately hired Perez. A few days later Perez told them after speaking with the prosecution that Posada’s sentence would be relinquished, and he would be released in 90 days.
Perez even went as far as creating a logo for “The Law Offices of Armando A. Perez” that he used on a contract he had the family sign and was addressed as an office near the Miami courthouse.. He also claimed that the lawyers whom he hired for his own case, Robert Lemons and Francisco Marty, were his law partners.
Eventually, the family suspected Perez to be a fraud and looked him up online where there was a lawyer of the same name, but the gentleman appeared to be much older. They then got in contact with the firm he supposedly worked for, which only confirmed their suspicions that he was in fact a fraud, and Perez was not legally licensed to practice law. The family realized they had been conned out of $70,000.
This scam shows why it is so important to hire an experienced attorney with a proven track record. By researching the firm or attorney you are thinking about working with you will be able to see why that attorney is right (or isn’t right) for your specific case. If you are still unsure of whether or not an attorney can help you, then you should seek a second opinion. Second opinions can be a major help when making a decision on who to hire, and making sure you are represented properly and legally.
Now more than ever the word “fraud” seems to circulate through the news. Don’t get caught in a scam because you didn’t do your research. Find an experienced and trusted attorney that can help represent you and treat your case the way it should be treated.
