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The Cuban Michel Duarte Suárez, 50 years old, pleaded guilty this Wednesday to having participated in a scheme he directed from Panama to control the bank account of an elderly person, steal over $800,000, and launder the profits with the help of accomplices in South Florida.
Duarte admitted his guilt on a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud and another charge of aggravated identity theft, for which he could face up to 30 years in prison, plus an additional mandatory two years, consecutive to any prison sentence imposed, reported the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The Cuban citizen was initially charged in September 2023, but at that time he was residing in Panama City, Panama. In January 2025, he was arrested in that country and transferred to South Florida to face charges for his multiple scams.
Duarte was subject to an extradition order issued by the United States government for bank fraud and money laundering. Earlier this year, Interpol agents arrested him following a raid and search of his apartment, located in the Paitilla area of Panama City.
Pulling the strings from Panama
The court documents state that, in March 2022, Duarte informed a confidential informant that he had access to the bank account of an elderly victim, who was 82 years old at the time.
As part of the fraudulent conspiracy, Duarte created and mailed dozens of counterfeit checks from Panama to South Florida, to the victim's bank, with instructions to cash them and return 50% of the proceeds from the fraud through a bank transfer to his Miami-based company, Online Electronics.
The fraudulent checks had forged signatures that mimicked the victim's signature on their card for that same bank account at Truist Bank.
In this way, Duarte and his associates managed to steal $803,146 from the elderly person's bank account over a span of four months, “by issuing more than 80 fraudulent checks to numerous different beneficiaries, including at least five individuals and several companies,” states a declaration signed by the accused, his lawyer, and a prosecutor from the United States Attorney's Office in Miami, as cited by the Miami Herald.
The sentence for the Cuban is scheduled for September 29 in a Miami court, before United States District Judge Kathleen M. Williams.
The Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski is in charge of the case, while the Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderón is handling the asset forfeiture procedure. The events have been investigated by the FBI, the Secret Service of the U.S., and the Office of Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
The plot of "The Emperor"
Duarte's criminal history is extensive. The sale of stolen cars, card cloning, document forgery… make up a plot of fraud and other crimes that the authorities in Panama uncovered in 2019, leading to the arrest of the Cuban on November 2 of that year, in the district of Arraiján, during the Operation Emperador.
The Public Ministry in the province of West Panama charged him with the crimes of fraud and conspiracy to commit a crime, local press reported at the time.
The arrest was made following a police investigation into the sale of a stolen vehicle in Costa Rica that was illegally brought into Panama. The car was sold through a website.
The victim of the scam reported to the authorities after their home was raided twice by the National Customs Authority and the Police Investigation Directorate due to the possession of a vehicle, a pickup truck.
The person paid Duarte with a check for $20,000.
The regional prosecutor's office of Panama West uncovered the existence of a stolen car sales network, in which a Cuban and other individuals were allegedly involved, pretending to be the owners of the vehicles for sale.
The investigations by the Public Ministry connected the accused to the registration of three other vehicles in the Municipality of Colón and the forgery of documents to sell them.
The judge of Guarantees ordered the provisional detention measure of Duarte, at the request of the Public Ministry, for his involvement in a case of misuse of credit cards.
Additionally, the authorities also accused him of credit card cloning, in a legal case in the Arraiján district, where after a search, the police seized blank cards, printers, magnetic strips, computers, hard drives, and 1,700 dollars.
During the hearing, Duarte apologized to his victim and expressed his willingness to return the money he had taken. He also claimed that all the equipment and supplies found in his home were part of his business in buying and selling computer devices.
Frequently Asked Questions about the bank fraud case of Michel Duarte Suárez
Who is Michel Duarte Suárez and what is he being accused of?
Michel Duarte Suárez is a 50-year-old Cuban citizen who pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to take control of a senior citizen's bank account in Miami, steal over $800,000, and launder the profits. He was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and postal fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft.
How did Michel Duarte's fraud scheme operate from Panama?
Duarte Suárez orchestrated the fraud from Panama by communicating with a confidential informant to control his victim’s account. He created and sent over 80 counterfeit checks from Panama to South Florida, with instructions to cash them and return 50% of the fraud via bank transfers to his company in Miami.
What is the possible sentence for Michel Duarte Suárez?
Michel Duarte Suárez could face up to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and postal fraud, in addition to two mandatory years for aggravated identity theft. His sentencing is scheduled for September 29 in a Miami court.
What is Michel Duarte Suárez's criminal background?
Michel Duarte Suárez has an extensive criminal record that includes the sale of stolen cars, card cloning, and document forgery. He was arrested in 2019 in Panama for fraud and unlawful association for criminal purposes, which reflects a pattern of criminal behavior.
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