Property Manager Accused of Siphoning Millions From Homeowners

A Miami-Dade property manager allegedly known to his own stepdaughter as “The Boss” is accused of masterminding a wide-ranging fraud scheme that drained at least $5.8 million from five condominium and homeowners’ associations.

Juan Awais, 60, and five alleged associates were arrested after a two-year probe known as Operation Sundown. Investigators say the group preyed on elderly, largely Spanish-speaking volunteer board members while manipulating association finances for their own benefit.

Authorities say the alleged scheme touched five communities: Mira Villa Condo Association, Los Sueños Condo, Samari Lake East Condo Association, Lago Grande and Country Lake Manors. Hundreds of families may have been affected.

A 55-page arrest warrant describes an alleged operation built around property management firms, linked vendors, suspicious invoices and a network of businesses that investigators say were used to move association money.

Awais allegedly used his firm, Sunshine Management Services, to build influence inside the associations it managed. Investigators claim some board members were persuaded to sign documents they did not fully understand.

At three communities — Mira Villas, Los Sueños and Samari Lake East — Sunshine served as the official property manager. But investigators allege its representatives then funneled profitable repair contracts to companies tied to the group.

Those companies, authorities say, hired legitimate contractors to perform work while portions of insurance payments, loans and other association funds were diverted through affiliated businesses.

At other properties, investigators allege funds were siphoned from delinquent-assessment collections, estoppel fees and money generated through foreclosure and tax sales.

Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said investigators have so far identified $5.8 million in losses, though she cautioned that the final total could rise.

One of the most striking examples, authorities allege, involved Samari Lake East, which received a $20 million insurance payout tied to damage caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Investigators say a company owned by Awais’ former romantic partner, Delma Alonso, was due to receive $1.4 million under a document setting out how the insurance money would be distributed.

Once the money arrived, investigators say $926,000 left Alonso’s company’s account within just six days, with hundreds of thousands of dollars allegedly moving to businesses connected to Awais and other defendants.

The warrant also alleges that a company belonging to Cynthea Waltz received millions of dollars from Samari Lake East for windows and doors work, even though the company’s bank account was opened just one day before the association’s insurance settlement was distributed.

Investigators say more than $4.6 million was subsequently wired to that account in several payments, while some of the money was used to pay a legitimate contractor and some allegedly flowed to companies linked to the defendants.

A similar pattern allegedly emerged at Mira Villas, where insurance proceeds for a roof repair passed through a company connected to Michael Irizarry before investigators say money was distributed to legitimate contractors and other affiliated businesses.

The alleged scheme was not limited to where the money went – investigators also say they uncovered evidence suggesting efforts were made to control the people who had authority over the associations.

Sunshine allegedly maintained a ‘voter list’ at Samari Lake East, with notes describing some potential voters as ‘nice,’ ‘complicado’ or ‘enemiga’ – Spanish for ‘complicated’ and ‘enemy’ – while messages allegedly discussed how many votes were controlled by each side. 

 Investigators also say they discovered documents that appeared to have been created or altered after the dates written on them, allegedly to make payments to affiliated businesses appear legitimate.

In another alleged attempt to obstruct the investigation, board members were reportedly discouraged from speaking with police, while some board presidents were pressured to sign legal retainers supposedly intended to ‘stop police contact.’

The arrest warrant says several witnesses told investigators they were afraid of Awais and worried about possible repercussions for relatives living in Cuba.

Awais faces charges including racketeering, money laundering, grand theft and organized fraud, while the other defendants face various charges connected to the alleged scheme. 

Awais has maintained his innocence, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted; attorneys for some of the accused have also said they intend to vigorously defend their clients.

The case has struck a nerve among Miami residents, with people responding to the sheriff’s Facebook announcement calling for all condo and HOA associations to be audited.

One commenter wrote: ‘There should be a law where all HOA are audited,’ while another said authorities should investigate whether there were similar problems at other associations.

Others used the comments to name condo communities they believe should be investigated, although such social-media allegations are not evidence of wrongdoing.

The case also comes after the high-profile $11 million Hammocks HOA fraud scandal in South Florida, in which former board president Marglli Gallego pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

That case similarly involved alleged manipulation of an association, a network of companies and millions of dollars in homeowners’ money, highlighting the vulnerabilities that can arise when volunteer boards hand significant financial control to outside managers.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office has said Operation Sundown remains ongoing, and authorities have indicated that additional arrests could follow.