Woman charged with grand theft following failed real estate deals
The owner and broker of a real estate company is accused of not returning nearly $30,000 to a client after two property deals fell through.
Robin Marie Speronis, 51, of 1530 S.W. 53rd Terrace, is facing one count of second-degree grant theft. She was picked up on a warrant last week for the charge. Speronis has been released from the Lee County Jail on $5,000 bond.
Attorney Michael Rich, of Fort Myers, is representing Speronis. He was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
A telephone message left for Speronis was not returned.
A woman told police that on March 21, she gave $52,000 to a real estate agent, Speronis, to be put in a real estate escrow account for the purchase of a duplex. According to a report, the contract was denied and Speronis returned $22,500 of the $30,000 to the woman.
The remainder of the money remained in the escrow account for another offer on a vacant lot, the report states. The deal fell through on March 26, and the woman contacted the police in April and reported that she had not been able to reach Speronis to get back the rest of her money.
The woman stated that she tried to contact Speronis by phone, e-mail and fax, and even stopped by Speronis’ home. According to the report, Speronis is the broken and owner of Zen Real Estate of Southwest Florida, and the company is based out of her residence.
The woman could not be reached for comment.