A Winthrop man is facing charges of stealing thousands of dollars from prospective Malden apartment renters.
Kenneth Riel, 50, of Winthrop is facing eleven counts of larceny over $1200, six counts of larceny and one count of false entries or omissions in corporate books for allegedly stealing $35,000 in down payments and security deposits from individuals seeking to rent apartments in Malden, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office.
Riel served as the property manager of a multi-unit apartment in beginning in the autumn of 2023. Throughout his employment, he allegedly directed rental applicants to submit money orders to him for deposits on apartments, advising the prospective tenants to leave the payee and payor information blank.
The thefts were discovered after Mr. Riel’s employment, when applicants came to the apartment complex seeking keys, or information about when their apartment would be ready. The new manager immediately directed the victims to the Malden Police, according to the Middlesex DA.
17 people reported providing the defendant with payments that were never documented with the management company.
The defendant then completed the money orders by writing his name or the names of family members as the recipients of the orders,
" In one instance, a renter provided a payment to Mr. Riel through the cash transfer mobile application Zelle, which investigators allegedly tracked to his personal Zelle account,” the Middlesex District Attorney’s office said. “When the applicants followed up with the defendant about the apartments, he made excuses for the delays, repeatedly telling one victim that the inspection of the apartment was delayed for months.”
“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,” said District Attorney Marian Ryan.
The defendant was arraigned on Thursday in Malden District Court.
Riel will next appear in court on January 17, 2025.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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