A Kissimmee woman is once again in custody after being implicated in another jewelry-cleaning scam targeting elderly individuals in Miami-Dade County. Authorities reported that Katherine Coromoto Angulo Rivera, 27, was arrested on Monday following allegations from a 70-year-old victim who identified her from a news broadcast.
The victim recounted that Angulo Rivera approached her under the guise of seeking old eyeglass frames, with the intention of turning them into costume jewelry. She also offered to clean the victim’s jewelry, which led to the victim handing over approximately $30,000 worth of valuables. Investigators explained that Angulo Rivera placed the jewelry in a container with a liquid that began to smoke and instructed the victim to cover it with a paper towel for an hour. Upon removing the towel, the victim discovered her jewelry replaced with a melted rosary and counterfeit pieces.
Authorities confirmed the victim identified Angulo Rivera in a photographic lineup on Monday. Subsequently, Miami police detained her at their auto pound unit and transferred her to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
This incident is not Angulo Rivera’s first encounter with law enforcement. Earlier in the month, she was apprehended for a similar offense in Miami’s Flagami neighborhood, where she reportedly stole nearly $50,000 in jewelry from another elderly victim using the same methods. In that case, the suspect allegedly approached a second victim with a pretense of purchasing copper, exploiting the situation to execute the theft.
Law enforcement officials suggest Angulo Rivera used deceit and the appearance of helpfulness to gain the victims’ trust. The scams have resulted in estimated total losses of about $80,000. According to deputies, Angulo Rivera chose not to cooperate with detectives without legal representation.
Currently, she is held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, facing charges of organized fraud involving amounts between $20,000 and $50,000, and elder exploitation. Her bond status is pending. Authorities urge anyone who suspects they have fallen victim to this scam to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.