February 5, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster
Board positions require certain obligations in Minnesota due to MCIOA legislation and governing documents, not the least of which is the board’s fiduciary responsibility to its association. No matter that you have a property management company or an accountant who’s managing your HOA’s funds, it’s ultimately the board’s responsibility if things go south.
We’ve blogged a time or two about scams and malfeasance at some HOAs across the country. Here’s another example that involves some $600k to $1 million in association funds from an HOA in (wait for it) Florida. From Realtor.com:
A property management company owner in Florida is facing charges of scamming people out of $1 million between 2021 and 2025, according to police.Michael Curtis, 38, has been accused of stealing at least $600,000 from homeowners at the Windmill Lakes Condominium Community in Pembroke Pines, FL.
Once the cover was blown on the guy, there was a review of the HOA’s records, and an insurance payment intended for hurricane disaster relief was discovered that included a convenient management fee payable to, guess who, the property management owner. More evidence was later found that showed Curtis “fabricated management fees totaling $46,000 that were beyond the eligible payment.” That was only the tip of the old melting Florida iceberg.
“The entire investigation found that nearly $600,000 was unlawfully obtained by Curtis, and it is believed that other unauthorized payments could exceed $1,000,000,” said a media release shared with Realtor.com.
But wait. There’s more.
Prosecutors in Broward County have additionally filed two separate cases against Curtis, accusing him of stealing more than $500,000 from two other condominium associations he managed. Curtis has been arrested and arraigned in connection with the active cases, which center on insurance settlement funds intended to repair damage caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017.
This is the guy’s third arrest. More proof, fellow board leaders, that we just can’t be too careful when it comes to our residents’ money.
Read the article HERE.
