TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Hunter Flora was in charge of collecting rent from Lauer property tenants around Tallahassee.
According to a court document, when confronted by his boss, Flora admitted to embezzling money. He said he lost track of the amount he stole and wouldn't be surprised if it was $100,000.
Lauer Real Estate Group was cheated by Flora, but local tenants are also facing huge losses from his actions.
Amber Shiftlett has been living in a Lauer Property for a year. She says Flora tricked her and her roommates out of money twice.
"It's definitely a learning lesson," Shiflett said. "I will always get my receipts no matter what now, so I will always have proof that I paid my rent on time."
Shiflett says Hunter charged Shiflett and her roommates twice for rent one month and claimed they didn't pay their last months rent.
And they're not the only ones who claim to be victims.
Flora was working as the receptionist at Lauer Real Estate Group when the owners discovered he had been stealing money. Once the crime was reported to the Leon County Sheriff's Office, several of the company's tenants came forward with their own stories of how Flora has scammed them too.
Another local tenant says he paid three month's rent by money order to Flora. He was later threatened with eviction because the firm never received his payment.
According to court documents, 164 money orders were given to Lauer Group as rent payments but cashed by Flora.
The owners of Lauer Real Estate Group learned Flora directed their clients to make payments in cash, which is a violation of company policy.
Lt. Grady Jordan with the Leon County Sheriff's Office says that when tenants pay their rent they should always get a receipt.
He added that anybody renting should have a contract and know exactly how much they are paying and to whom.
