Malden has been shaken by the arrest of a property manager involved in a rental scam, as announced by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden Chief of Police Glenn Cronin. The man in question, Kenneth Riel, 50, of Winthrop, faces multiple charges after allegedly defrauding 17 prospective tenants, leading to a total loss of over $35,000 in down payments and security deposits, according to a press release issued by the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.
During the fall of 2023, Riel began managing a multi-unit apartment complex where he directed applicants to issue money orders with blank payee fields, Middlesex District Attorney’s Office reports. Having ended his employment, the scam surfaced when renters arrived seeking keys or move-in dates, only to learn their agreements weren't documented by the new management, who advised them to contact the authorities.
An investigation unfolded where vividly, 17 individuals recounted transactions left undocumented with the management company, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. Riel allegedly filled in these blank money orders with his or relatives' names as payees. In a striking instance, one renter’s payment through Zelle boomeranged back to Riel's personal account.
Many of the victims, who often were non-English speaking immigrants, were led on by Riel's excuses for delayed apartment inspections only to discover the deceptions later. "In this case the defendant allegedly took advantage of victims, many of whom were non-English speaking immigrants, seeking housing. Using his position he allegedly took the victims’ money for his own personal use, stealing not only their money but their opportunity to rent an apartment they had been led to believe they had secured,” District Attorney Ryan was quoted saying in the official statement, detailed by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.
On Thursday, Riel faced arraignment in Malden District Court before Judge Francis Kenneally, with bail set at $10,000. For those ensnared in this deceitful web, justice perhaps, begins to take its course with the next date in this case set for January 17, 2025, as per the information from the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.
