A former Bank of America employee in southwest Miami-Dade has been arrested and accused of stealing more than $500,000 from a disabled client by abusing his position at the bank, according to authorities.
Mario Martinez, 40, faces multiple charges, including exploitation of a disabled person, organized fraud and first-degree grand theft.
Investigators with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said the case came to light on January 16, when a supervisor at a southwest Miami-Dade Bank of America branch contacted law enforcement to report suspicious activity involving one of its employees.
According to an arrest affidavit, Martinez allegedly opened a joint bank account with the victim without her knowledge and transferred funds from her account into his own. Authorities say the victim, a 42-year-old woman who cannot walk and uses a motorized wheelchair, was unaware that the joint account existed and never authorized the transactions.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle detailed the allegations during a press conference Tuesday, saying the victim had known Martinez since 2016 and trusted him to assist with her banking needs. At one point, the woman received an inheritance and sought guidance on managing her finances.
“The victim recalls entering the bank and expressing to the subject that she recently inherited a large sum of money,” Fernandez Rundle said. “The subject explained that he was a financial advisor and he could take her on as a client to invest and manage her money.”
Investigators later determined Martinez was not a licensed financial advisor. Prosecutors say he exploited the victim’s trust and his access to internal bank systems to move money without triggering alerts.
In December 2024, Bank of America launched an internal investigation after identifying irregular transactions and notified the victim of the suspected fraud. The bank and the victim then reported the matter to the sheriff’s office.
“The investigation ultimately discovered that Martinez utilized the victim’s trust and his bank position to allegedly steal over half a million dollars,” Fernandez Rundle said.
Authorities allege Martinez later attempted to dissuade the victim from reporting the theft, repeatedly calling her and her aides and even delivering a gift basket to her home.
“Our victim indicated that she was unaware of any of this activity and obviously she did not authorize the opening of the joint account,” Fernandez Rundle said.
Investigators said Martinez confessed during the bank’s internal probe and resigned before his arrest.
In a statement provided to local media, Bank of America said it cooperated fully with authorities and worked to protect the affected client.
“Whenever we learn of potential wrongdoing, we promptly investigate, fully cooperate with regulators and law enforcement, and work with the client to compensate them for any harm caused by an employee,” the bank said.
Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said the case underscores the importance of safeguarding vulnerable residents.
“Exploiting someone because of their disability or vulnerability is unacceptable,” Cordero-Stutz said. “We will aggressively pursue those who prey on others.”
Martinez remains in custody and is expected to appear before a judge on Wednesday.
