A man Toronto police have been looking for in connection with a series of alleged rental frauds first reported by CBC Toronto has turned himself into police.
In a news release issued Tuesday morning, Toronto police said Michael Adam Lemke of Toronto surrendered on Dec. 1.
He is charged with possession of proceeds of crime, as well as nine counts of fraud under $5,000.
Police allege that he rented a condo and then advertised a room for rent online. He took rent deposits of more than $2,000 from prospective roommates, police allege, but then did not rent the room. In some cases, he kept the money, police said or issued a partial refund.
He also went by the name Mike Krug.
Lemke lived at several addresses in the trendy Liberty Village neighborhood over the past two years, including a condo unit at 69 Lynn Williams St. CBC Toronto spoke with 13 people who attempted to rent a room at the 69 Lynn Williams unit from Lemke. Eight said they are still owed some or all of the deposit.
In addition to the alleged roommate scam, Lemke is also accused of not paying his rent and owing landlords thousands of dollars.
In one case, the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board ordered Lemke to pay $17,000 in arrears.
Neither the police news release from Nov. 28 nor the release from today mention these cases.
Lemke did not respond to multiple attempts by CBC Toronto to reach him by phone and email last month.
Lemke is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 17.
Read the full story over at CBC News.
