A former property manager for The Club at Brickell Bay condominium is facing felony fraud charges after allegedly orchestrating a multi-year “ghost employee” scheme that defrauded the building’s association of more than $140,000.
Yissely Herrouet, 37, served as the property manager between 2016 and 2023 for the condominium at 1200 Brickell Bay Drive in Miami. She worked for FirstService Residential Florida, one of the largest property management companies in the nation.
Herrouet allegedly made payments to individuals, including some of Herrouet’s relatives, for work that was never performed or was duplicative of services already under contract, according to State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle’s office.
Herrouet’s actions came to light after her former employer conducted a forensic examination of the condominium’s finances, the SAO said in a news release.
Investigators discovered that Herrouet allegedly falsified timesheets and new hire paperwork for individuals who did not work for the management company or the association. She then billed the association for this phantom work.
In addition, Herrouet reportedly used her position to select an outside vendor company owned by a family member to provide cleaning and janitorial services,” the SAO said.
“Thefts from condominium and homeowners’ associations continue to be a major priority of my Economic Crimes prosecutors, as too many of these property owners have been victimized,” Fernandez Rundle said.
“I have long advocated for and helped change Association laws, so property owners have transparency and accountability from their Associations. This arrest is the result of my ongoing focus to protect our homeowners.”
Herrouet is charged with four counts, including an organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, offenses against computer users, and false entries in the books of a business entity. Herrouet was not appearing in the online jail database for Miami-Dade County or the county’s clerk court website, as of Wednesday afternoon.
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Herrouet also faces a civil lawsuit filed against her by FirstService Residential Florida, which accuses her of defrauding the company out of more than $220,000 during her time working as the condominium’s property manager.
The company is seeking the full amount back, along with attorney fees, court costs, interest and fees related to the forensic audit, totaling $738,055.
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JOHN PACENTI is a correspondent of the Key Biscayne Independent. John has worked for The Associated Press, the Palm Beach Post, Daily Business Review, and WPTV-TV.