A Miami man is behind bars after deputies say he tried to sail off with a $146,000 boat using checks that never really cleared. Staff at Riva Motorsports in southwest Miami-Dade grew suspicious of his payment paperwork and later captured video of deputies slapping the cuffs on him when he returned to pick up the vessel. The deal ultimately sank after the bank reported that the deposit had been returned for insufficient funds.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, Riva Motorsports Miami business manager Anthony Vallejo said the would-be buyer claimed he had completed a wire transfer, but instead produced a receipt that showed a check deposit. "We thought it was a normal deal like any other deal," Vallejo told the station. Employees contacted the sheriff’s office after the bank alerted them that the payment had bounced, and NBC 6 South Florida reports staff recorded video as deputies took the man into custody.
Local10 reviewed the arrest report and identified the suspect as 47-year-old Angel Reyes. Detectives say Reyes deposited a check from a closed Bank of America account into a separate business account, then used the temporary balance that appeared there to issue payment for the boat. The original check was later returned for insufficient funds. According to the outlet, deputies arrested Reyes inside the dealership’s leasing office, and he was booked into the Metrowest Detention Center on a $25,000 bond.
How detectives say the scheme worked
Investigators described the transaction as a check-kiting style scheme that relied on the lag between when a deposit shows up as available and when the bank actually verifies the money, consistent with the U.S. Department of Justice’s guidance on the crime. The Justice Department notes that these schemes can amount to bank fraud because they create the illusion of funds that are not really there. In this case, NBC 6 South Florida reports the bank notified the dealership days later that the check had bounced. Prosecutors will determine whether the case stays in state court or could involve federal bank-fraud charges as the investigation continues.
Legal exposure and next steps
The arrest report, as summarized by Local10, states that Reyes faces state charges of first-degree grand theft, organized fraud and issuing a worthless check. Those counts carry serious potential penalties if prosecutors formally file them and a judge or jury ultimately convicts. For now, the district attorney’s office is expected to review the sheriff’s report and decide what to bring to court.
