Pinellas County men sentenced in timeshare scam
November 6, 2020 - A federal judge in Tampa has sentenced two Pinellas County men to federal prison, for their role in a property-sale fraud scheme. The men, Ronald Carapellucci of Clearwater and Manuel Parrado of St. Petersburg, pleaded guilty in July. They were accused of conspiring with others to take money from people who wanted to sell their timeshare or other properties, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. Prosecutors said the conspirators impersonated attorneys and real estate professionals when they called victims and said they had buyers for their properties, then asked for advance payments for fees purportedly associated with the sales. The conspirators continued to ask for money until their victims ran out of money or became aware of the scam, prosecutors said. Carapellucci was sentenced to six years and Parrado was sentenced to two-and-a-half years. Several related defendants also have pleaded guilty in the case, which the St. Petersburg Police Department helped investigate.