Nineteen South Florida victims defrauded by apartment rental scammer via WhatsApp group "We Found Josh" leading to financial and emotional distress

Summary

Nineteen victims of a man known as “Josh Herrera” shared clues about him in a WhatsApp group chat called “We Found Josh,” as he was allegedly a serial apartment rental scammer in South Florida and other locations. The victims said they were defrauded after Harrison, posing as a real estate agent, collected deposits for apartments he did not own. One victim, Amanda, described how Harrison’s inconsistent stories and false claims led to her financial and emotional distress, including depression and weight loss. Authorities identified Harrison as Joshua Jeshurun Harrison, 37, of Miami, and said he had an accomplice, Jose Adolfo Lopez, 29, of Chicago, both arrested on Wednesday. Victims urged the court to deny Harrison bond, which was set at $1.25 million. The victims also shared research suggesting Harrison operated in multiple cities, including Los Angeles, Georgia, Tampa, and Orlando.