Женщину арестовали в Техасе за организацию нелегальных реабилитационных центров во Флориде

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 42-year-old woman is facing charges in Miami-Dade County after authorities said she operated multiple illegal post-operation assisted living facilities. Torrasha Monique Smith was previously arrested in January 2024 for operating an unlicensed post-surgery ALF located at 18132 NW 91st Court in Miami-Dade County, and then again in June 2025 for opening another facility at 21480 SW 132nd Court. In January, deputies said they received an anonymous tip regarding an illegal recovery house for post-surgery patients was being run by Smith. Investigators discovered it was at the same 132nd Court location that deputies had previously encountered, determining that Smith never ceased operations despite her previous arrest. According to an arrest warrant, patients advised deputies that they had paid Dream Body Retreat via Zelle for the services, and investigators determined that Smith was the sole proprietor of Dream Body Retreat. Additionally, one of the patients told deputies they had used the facility previously in June 2025, which was after Smith’s arrest in May of that year after she was ordered to close the facility, according to official documents. Authorities said they ultimately discovered that Smith ran the facility for 274 days after being issued a Notice of Unlicensed Activity on April 30, 2025, and during that time, she accepted Zelle payments exceeding $200,000. According to investigators, Smith ceased operations at the facility sometime in February, but she continued to book appointments and receive deposits “without any intention of providing services.” Multiple police reports were filed in Miami-Dade County over the following months from patients who had paid deposits to Dream Body Retreat only to discover the business had been closed, and then were unable to reach Smith when they tried to obtain refunds. Ultimately, a warrant was issued for Smith’s arrest on July 20 after an attorney representing Smith told authorities he couldn’t advise as to when she would surrender herself. According to an arrest form, Smith was taken into custody on Tuesday at the Harris County Jail Facility in Houston. Officials did not indicate why she was arrested in Texas or how she was apprehended, but she has since been brought back to South Florida. Smith is facing three charges of grand theft, a charge of organized fraud of $50,000 or more, and 274 charges of failure to cease operations of an assisted living facility. As of Wednesday afternoon, she was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Official documents indicate that Smith was already out on felony bond at the time of her arrest for charges stemming from the illegal disposal of hazardous, biomedical waste. Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.