Miami-Dade prosecutors say the longtime bank worker opened unauthorized accounts and moved the victim’s money into his own.
MIAMI, FL — A former Bank of America employee in southwest Miami-Dade has been arrested on accusations that he exploited a woman with disabilities and stole more than $500,000, authorities said Tuesday, Dec. 23. The arrest followed a months-long investigation launched after a bank supervisor reported suspected fraud.
Prosecutors identified the suspect as Mario Martinez, 40, and said he faces multiple felony counts, including exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult, organized fraud and first-degree grand theft. Investigators said Martinez befriended the woman through the branch where she banked, then used his access to set up accounts and move funds without her knowledge. The case comes as local agencies highlight a broader push by an Elder and Vulnerable Adult Exploitation Task Force to pursue crimes against residents with disabilities. The bank said it conducted an internal review, cooperated with law enforcement and is working with the customer.
Deputies began looking into the scheme on Jan. 16 after a supervisor at the branch called to flag irregular activity tied to an employee. An arrest affidavit says the employee maintained a joint account in both names, which the woman did not authorize, and shifted money into his control. The woman, who cannot walk and uses a motorized wheelchair, had known Martinez since 2016 and previously sought help at the branch with routine banking. At a news conference announcing the arrest, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said the thefts accelerated after the woman received an inheritance. “The subject explained that he was a financial advisor and he could take her on as a client,” Rundle said, adding that investigators later determined he was not licensed as an adviser.
Authorities said internal bank reviewers first alerted the woman in December 2024 that large transfers had been moving out of her accounts. According to case summaries discussed by officials, investigators believe the money was funneled over several months through accounts Martinez controlled, including one set up in both names. Detectives also said the suspect relied on his knowledge of bank alerts and systems to avoid detection. Prosecutors said the losses exceed $500,000. The woman’s precise age was not released in public court records Tuesday, but officials described her as a longtime customer who needed daily assistance and used a wheelchair.
Records show Martinez was taken into custody on Dec. 23 and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The charges listed by prosecutors include exploitation of a disabled adult in an amount over $50,000, organized scheme to defraud over $50,000, grand theft over $100,000, criminal use of personal information, and tampering with or harassing a victim or witness. In brief remarks, Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said investigators from the Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Bureau worked with the State Attorney’s Elder and Vulnerable Adult Task Force on the case. Rundle said the alleged conduct “used the victim’s trust and his bank position” to move the funds.
Bank of America issued a statement saying that whenever potential wrongdoing by an employee is identified, the company investigates, cooperates with regulators and law enforcement, and works with the client to compensate for any harm. The bank did not discuss individual personnel actions. The branch where Martinez worked serves customers in the Kendall area, officials said. Prosecutors emphasized that the investigation remains active and that detectives are reviewing bank records and communications to establish a full accounting of the transfers and to determine whether any other accounts were affected.
The case timeline presented by authorities begins with a December 2024 internal review, followed by the Jan. 16 call from a branch supervisor that triggered the formal criminal probe. Detectives later obtained documents they said show the creation of at least one unauthorized joint account and a series of transfers into accounts controlled by Martinez. Officials said the victim learned of the suspected thefts only after being contacted by bank investigators. She told detectives that she relied on the employee for help after receiving an inheritance and believed the funds would be managed for her benefit.
Martinez was expected to make an initial court appearance following his arrest; a specific hearing date was not immediately available from the clerk’s office Monday. Prosecutors said they plan to file formal charging documents and will seek restitution as part of the case. If convicted on the most serious counts, including witness tampering, he could face a lengthy prison sentence under Florida law. The Sheriff’s Office said any further updates would come after additional interviews and a review of electronic records. The State Attorney’s Office said it would announce court dates once they are set.
Neighbors who frequent the branch described a steady flow of customers and said they were surprised to learn of the arrest. “You don’t expect that from someone you see behind the counter for years,” said Juan Alvarez, who banks nearby and stopped to watch deputies carry boxes during a recent search. Outside the State Attorney’s Office downtown, Rundle called the case a test of how quickly banks and law enforcement can respond. “We will not tolerate the victimization of our vulnerable residents,” she said. Cordero-Stutz said detectives will “aggressively pursue those who prey on others.”
As of Monday evening, Martinez remained in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight facility while detectives continued reviewing account records and preparing filings. Prosecutors said the next milestone in the case is the scheduling of his first appearance and the filing of formal charges in circuit court.
Author note: Last updated December 29, 2025.