A man was arrested in an elaborate scheme to defraud tourists in Miami Springs by misleading them into believing his pizza was from a well-known local favorite pizzeria, police said.
Jose Marti-Alvarez faces charges of organized scheme to defraud for allegedly distributing fake flyers to hotel rooms along Northwest 36th Street that advertised his business Roman Cuisine Pizzeria, misleading customers into believing they were buying from Roman’s Pizzeria, according to Miami Springs Police.
The real owner of Roman’s Pizzeria, Jesus Roman, said he’s been dealing with the alleged knock-off for years when customers he never even served started complaining.
“That’s how we found out that all these things were going on,” Roman said. “Sometimes they call on the phone or sometimes they show up here very upset.”
Marti-Alvarez allegedly delivered food that was undercooked, incorrect or fraudulently priced. Police said the scheme went on for several years and affected the actual Roman’s Pizzeria, leading to negative online reviews and complaints to the Better Business Bureau.
Roman said he found out Monday about the arrest.
“In a way, I’m glad, because hopefully it will stop,” he said. “I didn’t want him to get arrested, but that’s something that had to happen to stop him. It’s not the right thing to do – he could have done it the right way; this wouldn’t have happened.”
Marti-Alvarez also faces charges of aggravated battery after allegedly hitting a hotel worker.
