The Toronto Police Service would like to alert the public to an investigation into allegations of rental fraud.
Officers from several divisions, in coordination with the Corporate Crimes Section of the Financial Crimes Unit, have identified two men wanted for defrauding residential landlords and AirBnB hosts throughout the city.
It is alleged that:
- on Monday, January 20, 2021 and Wednesday, April 7, 2021, two men rented several apartments under false identifications
- the men contacted property owners through a room sharing platform
- the men created deceptive email addresses and created a fraudulent United States identifiers in an attempt to gain lodging fraudulently
- the men told homeowners that they are working as "COVID-19 research doctors employed by the CIA and the MARS Research Lab"
- when the men unlawfully obtained lodging, they would use their knowledge of the property to unlawfully enter the dwellings, commit thefts, and identity frauds
After a lengthy investigation two men were identified.
Matthew Dodd, 41, of Toronto, is wanted for:
1. Fraudulently Obtaining Food and Lodging
2. Identity Theft
3. Mischief Over $5000
4. Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
5. Theft Over $5000
6. Two counts of Unlawfully in a dwelling house
7. Forgery
8. Fraud Exceeding $5000
9. Possession of a Fraudulent passport
He is described as being 6'1", 180 lbs., with an athletic build, and short hair.
His photograph has been released.
Steven Redigonda, 51, of Toronto, is wanted for:
1. Unlawfully in a Dwelling
2. Fail to Appear for fingerprints
He is described as 5'6", 160 lbs., with a thin build and grey hair.
Investigators are advising the public not to engage in a rental contract with either of these individuals and believe there may be more victims.
Anyone with information is asked to email Detective Constable Jeffrey Dyrkawec at
Jeffrey.Dyrkawec@torontopolice.on.ca or phone police at 416-808-2222, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at
www.222tips.com, online on our
Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.
For more news, visit
TPSnews.ca.
