Florida interior decorator accused of stealing $1M from clients

A South Florida interior decorator is accused of stealing more than $1 million from clients to finance his lifestyle, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

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Antonio DiMarco, 42, of Hallandale Beach, was arrested Wednesday and was charged with money laundering, obtaining property worth over $50,000 by fraud and two counts of grand theft of more than $100,000, the newspaper reported. DiMarco was being held on $400,000 bond.

According to police reports, Roland Hernandez, an oral surgeon in Fort Lauderdale, paid DiMarco $700,000 for home repairs. He also prepaid for furniture that Marco told him would take up to three months to be built and delivered, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Hernandez also loaned DiMarco $250,000, according to the police report.

"I trusted him," Hernandez told the Sun-Sentinel on Friday. "I confided in him, and he completely, almost ruined my life."

A second client, from Bal Harbor, told police she paid DiMarco around $440,000 for carpeting, tile, decorations, furniture and painting, the newspaper reported.

Both clients said the work DiMarco promised had not been completed after more than a year, and the interior designer refused to give them refunds, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

According to detective reports, DiMarco had allegedly stolen $1,075,457, spending $156,620 on clothing; $45,652 on electronics; $15,876 on movies, bowling and tickets to attractions; and $21,542 at restaurants. The records also showed that DiMarco paid $378,523 to companies he had ties with, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

DiMarco’s attorney, Lyon Greenblatt declined to comment Friday, the newspaper reported.

Cox Media Group