A Marion County jury on March 12, 2026, found 58‑year‑old Manes Pierre guilty of Fraudulent Simulation of a Legal Process and of making a false statement to the Florida Department of State. He was remanded to the Marion County Jail without bond and remains in custody pending sentencing.
According to a press release from the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, the scheme dates back to August 2021, when investigators uncovered electronic judgment‑lien certificates filed with the Department of State. Transaction records and billing information tied the submissions to addresses linked to Pierre, prosecutors said. “Filing false liens is not only illegal, but it’s harmful, and it’s a form of harassment that can significantly harm a person’s reputation and lead to substantial damages,” State Attorney Bill Gladson stated. Assistant State Attorneys Kevin Steiniger and Robert Bullara handled the prosecution.
Paper Trail Points to Miami Beach Filings
Filings available on Scribd show documents that list a “Morocco Consular Court” as the issuing body and name “Elio Bohechio Trogon El” as the judicial officer, with a Miami Beach address and a Gmail contact on the records. Investigators reviewed the electronic judgment‑lien certificates and associated transaction metadata, including case numbers and timestamps that prosecutors say helped tie the submissions to the same billing information. The filings claimed damage amounts that swung from roughly $16 million on some certificates to an $18 billion figure on another, numbers prosecutors say were fabricated in what authorities described as a harassment scheme.
Who Was Named and Why False Liens Matter
Local reporting notes the documents named several officials and entities - Marion County Sheriff William Woods, Marion County Clerk and Comptroller Gregory C. Harrell, a circuit court judge, an assistant state attorney, the Marion County School Board Leasing Corporation, and Commissioner Michelle Stone - none of whom had any knowledge of the alleged debts. Prosecutors and records custodians say the episode highlights how bogus instruments can clog official records, damage reputations, and create headaches for public agencies and private property owners.
Next Steps and Local Fallout
Pierre remains jailed as he awaits a sentencing date, according to the State Attorney’s Office, which credited the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of State for helping uncover the filings. The case has drawn renewed attention in local outlets this month, including coverage by West Orlando News, and officials say it underscores a broader problem of fraudulent liens used to harass public officials and private citizens alike. Under Florida law, victims who find a suspect instrument in the official records can ask a court to declare the filing null and pursue civil relief while criminal investigators evaluate charges, and prosecutors say those remedies will be part of any enforcement response.
