HIALEAH, FL— Move over, Florida Man, because we’ve got a new contender for the “Why Would You Even Try This?” Hall of Fame. Meet Rafael Moreno, the 49-year-old who thought he could just pretend to be an immigration lawyer—complete with fake diplomas on the wall—and no one would notice. Spoiler alert: They noticed.
The Setup: “Trust Me, I’m Totally a Lawyer”
According to police, Moreno convinced an Alabama woman he could help with her asylum applications. She paid him $170, and he notarized documents for her absent husband—because nothing says “legit legal services” like forging signatures like it’s a middle school permission slip.
But when Moreno told her to come back with another $450, she did what any reasonable person would do—called the cops. Because if there’s one thing Floridians won’t tolerate, it’s getting scammed out of their hard-earned Publix sub money.
The Sting: Undercover Cops & Fake Diplomas
Hialeah PD set up a sting, sending an undercover detective to Moreno’s totally real law office (located at 1625 Palm Ave., aka “The Place Where Dreams Go to Die”). Moreno, apparently not recognizing the “I’m a Cop” vibe, confidently told the detective he had 15 years of experience and pointed to diplomas on the wall—which, let’s be real, were probably printed off Google Images.
He then charged the detective $100 for “legal services,” sealing his fate faster than a Miami driver running a red light.
The Aftermath: Bond Set at $5,000 (or 50 More Fake Cases)
Moreno was arrested and slapped with charges for practicing law without a license and unlawful use of a notary commission. His bond? $5,000—which, coincidentally, is also the amount he probably scammed from unsuspecting clients.
Moral of the story? If your “lawyer” charges in cash, has an office that looks like a 1998 Kinko’s, and notarizes documents for people who aren’t even there—maybe double-check his credentials. Just a thought.
—TalesFromFlorida.com