Miami-Dade residents are being warned about a man who has been knocking on doors, allegedly seeking donations for children’s soccer charity that appears to be a front for vandalism. Fernando Yanes, a local of the community, encountered the supposed philanthropist and shared his skepticism with Local 10 News. “He showed me some papers and a T-shirt,” Yanes said. “And he told me, ”Hey, I’m a coach, I’m a neighbor, so I’m raising money for this soccer team.” Yanes felt something was amiss and declined to contribute, a decision that he believes led to retaliation in the form of a scratch mark on his freshly cleaned car.
Similar reports have surfaced from others in the Kendall and Coral Gables areas. The social media profile, Coral Gables Social, issued a scam alert to residents about the man’s solicitation efforts, which are tied to subsequent acts of vandalism. Henry Torres, another victim of the alleged scheme, experienced an encounter with the man and decided to report it to the authorities, a move that has prompted a police investigation into these incidents.
The man in question has been described in flyers circulated around the neighborhood and is featured on surveillance videos provided by the victims. These materials have been pivotal in helping to sketch an image of the alleged con artist for both the public and law enforcement. Detectives from Miami-Dade County are actively pursuing leads and have requested that anyone with information regarding this or other related cases to contact Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 to provide details anonymously…