A property manager has been arrested in a massive theft scheme involving hundreds of thousands of dollars taken from a Pembroke Pines condominium association, authorities said.

Michael Christopher Curtis, 38, was arrested on one count of grand theft and two counts of criminal use of personal identifiable information, Pembroke Pines Police officials said Tuesday. Curtis has been arrested twice previously for similar theft charges in other condo communities, as NBC 6 Investigates has reported. Prosecutors in Broward County have alleged Curtis stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Colonies II association in Lauderdale Lakes and Fairways of Sunrise condo associations. Curtis has pleaded not guilty to the chargers involving these communities. In both cases, authorities said the funds were intended for the community as part of an insurance settlement to cover damages from Hurricane Irma in 2017. In October, a jury found Curtis’ company, BDM Management, not liable in a civil lawsuit involving the Fairways of Sunrise community. The recent arrest of Curtis comes after a multi-year fraud investigation that uncovered money had been stolen from the Windmill Lakes Condominium Community dating back to 2021, police said. Investigators had received complaints from homeowners and discovered property management irregularities, lapsed insurance coverage, missing or improper board elections, and a forgery scheme involving stolen association funds, officials said.

Michael Christopher Curtis

 

Curtis had forged signatures on more than 350 checks and legal documents pertaining to the homeowners association, police said.

In one instance, detectives found an insurance payment intended for hurricane disaster relief that included a management fee payable to Curtis, but discovered that Curtis had fabricated management fees totaling $46,000 that were beyond the eligible payment, police said.

Nearly $600,000 was unlawfully obtained by Curtis, and it is believed other unauthorized payments could exceed $1,000,000, officials said.

Curtis’ attorney, Elias Hilal, released a statement on his latest arrest.

"This is a business contract matter being miscast as a crime, and once the entire unbiased set of evidence is presented, it will clear Mr. Curtis," the statement read.

An arrest warrant was issued for Curtis and he surrendered to face the charges.

"The police department’s Economic Crimes Unit is fully committed to investigating any fraud, scam, or other crime that financially impacts our community," the department said in a statement. "No matter the length of time it takes, our agency will utilize every available resource to locate and arrest criminals who exploit innocent and vulnerable people within our city."

Aside from BDM Property Management, Curtis is the registered agent of Private Parking Managers, Inc., and has direct ties to All Florida Rental Management, LLC, police said.

Police are asking anyone who experienced unusual business activity with Curtis or any of the associated businesses to contact them at 954-431-2200.

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Property manager featured in NBC6 investigation arrested