A South Florida man convicted in a Ponzi-style scheme was arrested again after authorities said he defrauded another victim while he was out on bond nearly five years ago, records showed.
Damian Castilla, 52, of Pembroke Pines, was arrested Wednesday on charges of second-degree grand theft and organized fraud, Miami-Dade jail records showed.
According to an arrest report, Castilla had been arrested back on March 18, 2020 for operating the scheme that defrauded a victim out of over $300,000.
Castilla had falsely represented himself as a commodities broker and accepted the funds for investment purposes but spent money on himself, the report said.
He was released on bond the day after his arrest and while awaiting trial, continued to deceive another victim, the report said.
On June 7, 2021, he deposited a check from the second victim into his bank account, the report said.
Castilla was released from prison on November 18, 2025, and is on probation until November 2045 from the previous case, the report said.
During his appearance in bond court Thursday, Castilla’s attorney said the new arrest was unexpected and questioned why the case wasn’t brought five years ago.
“He’s done his time, he’s on probation, so we’re hoping to work out this case,” the attorney said.
A judge set Castilla’s bond at $5,000.