Cuban National Admits to Defrauding Elderly Miami Resident of Over $800,000

Michel Duarte Suárez, a 50-year-old Cuban national, has confessed to orchestrating a scheme from Panama to take control of an elderly individual's bank account, stealing over $800,000 and laundering the money with the assistance of accomplices in South Florida. Duarte pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft, potentially facing a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory two additional years, consecutive to any prison term imposed, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Initially charged in September 2023 while residing in Panama City, Panama, Duarte was arrested in January 2025 and extradited to South Florida to confront numerous fraud-related charges. The U.S. government had issued an extradition order for Duarte due to bank fraud and money laundering allegations. Interpol agents captured him at his apartment in the Paitilla area of Panama City after a warranted search.

Fraudulent Operations from Panama

Court documents reveal that in March 2022, Duarte informed a confidential informant that he had access to the bank account of an elderly victim, aged 82 at the time. As part of the fraudulent conspiracy, Duarte prepared and mailed dozens of forged checks from Panama to South Florida, directed to the victim's bank, instructing them to cash the checks and wire 50% of the proceeds to his Miami-based company, Online Electronics. The fraudulent checks bore forged signatures that mimicked the victim's signature on file at the Truist Bank.

Through this scheme, Duarte and his associates managed to steal $803,146 from the elderly person's bank account over four months, issuing more than 80 fraudulent checks to various beneficiaries, including at least five individuals and several companies. This information is detailed in a statement signed by Duarte, his attorney, and a U.S. prosecutor in Miami, as reported by the Miami Herald.

Facing Justice

Duarte's sentencing is scheduled for September 29 in a Miami court, presided over by U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderón handling asset forfeiture proceedings. The investigation has involved the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Office of Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

The "Emperor" Scheme

Duarte's criminal history is extensive, involving the sale of stolen cars, credit card cloning, and document forgery. These activities were uncovered by Panamanian authorities in 2019, leading to his arrest on November 2 of the same year in the Arraiján district during "Operation Emperor." The Public Ministry in Panama Oeste charged him with fraud and illicit association for criminal purposes, as reported by local media at the time.

The arrest followed a police investigation into the sale of a stolen vehicle from Costa Rica that had been illegally brought into Panama and sold online. The fraud victim reported the crime after their home was raided twice by the National Customs Authority and the Police Investigation Directorate due to the possession of the vehicle, a pickup truck. The victim had paid Duarte $20,000 via check.

The regional prosecutor's office in Panama Oeste uncovered a network involved in the sale of stolen vehicles, allegedly including Duarte and others who posed as legitimate vehicle owners. Investigations linked Duarte to the registration of three other vehicles in the Municipality of Colón and the forgery of documents to sell them.

The judge ordered Duarte's provisional detention at the Public Ministry's request due to his involvement in credit card misuse. Authorities also charged him with credit card cloning in a case in the Arraiján district, where police seized blank cards, printers, magnetic strips, computers, hard drives, and $1,700 during a search.

In court, Duarte apologized to his victim and expressed a willingness to repay the stolen money. He claimed that all equipment and materials found at his residence were part of his legitimate business dealing in computer devices.