'Ultra-Luxury' Real Estate Influencer Busted for Stealing $381,000 in COVID Relief Funds — To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle

Daniela Rendon, 31, allegedly used fraudulently obtained money to lease a 2021 Bentley, rent a luxury apartment, and pay for cosmetic surgery.

learn more about Jonathan Small

By Jonathan Small

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted a Miami-based luxury real estate influencer for committing a Covid-19 scam to pay for her jet-set lifestyle.

The Feds allege that glamorous real estate agent and Instagram influencer Daniela Rendon, 31, fraudulently obtained $381,000 of COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program.

Image via Daniela Rendon/Instagram

Rendon, who has over 33,000 followers on Instagram, allegedly falsified her revenue and payroll and submitted fraudulent IRS tax forms to get a huge paycheck from the government. She wrote fake checks to herself, family members, and friends to disburse the funds.

The U.S. Attorney's office has accused her of using the stolen money to lease a 2021 Bentley Bentayga, rent a luxury Biscayne Bay apartment, pay for cosmetic skin treatments, and refinish her designer shoes.

Related: The Scam Artist Who Robbed Backstreet Boys and NSYNC Blind. 'Some of the Guys Couldn't Pay Their Car Payment.'

Image via Daniela Rendon/Instagram

Related: Pastor and His Son Busted for a $8 Million Covid Scam. 'The Worst Scuzz on the Face of the Earth.'

According to Rendon's LinkedIn profile (now taken down), she is an "Ultra-Luxury Real Estate Agent with a demonstrated history of working in the ultra-luxury high-end real estate industry."

Rendon has been charged with seven counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in not-so-luxurious prison.

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor in Chief of Green Entrepreneur

Jonathan Small is editor-in-chief of Green Entrepreneur, a vertical from Entrepreneur Media focused on the intersection of sustainability and business. He is also an award-winning journalist, producer, and podcast host of the upcoming True Crime series, Dirty Money, and Write About Now podcasts. Jonathan is the founder of Strike Fire Productions, a premium podcast production company. He had held editing positions at Glamour, Stuff, Fitness, and Twist Magazines. His stories have appeared in The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, and Good Housekeeping. Previously, Jonathan served as VP of Content for the GSN (the Game Show Network), where he produced original digital video series.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

The Dark Side of Pay Transparency — And What to Do If You Find Out You're Being Underpaid
Thinking of a Career Change? Here Are 4 Steps You Can Take to Get There.
A Founder Who Bootstrapped Her Jewelry Business With Just $1,000 Now Sees 7-Figure Revenue Because She Knew Something About Her Customers Nobody Else Did
Everything You Need to Know About Franchise Law
Business News

'I Don't Feel Like It's Unreasonable': A-List Actor Refused Service At Hotspot For Not Following Dress Code

Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe had quite the afternoon after trying to stop at a Japanese steakhouse in Melbourne, Australia following a game of tennis.

Business News

TikTok Influencer Reveals She Makes $350,000 a Month on OnlyFans. 'Absolutely Unreal.'

When Tara Lynn promoted her OnlyFans page on TikTok, she saw her income more than double.

Business News

Jack Daniel's-Fed Whiskey Fungus Consumes Tennessee Town

Fueled by evaporating Jack Daniel's whiskey, the fungus is coating the town in a gray crust.

Business News

Carnival Cruise Wants Passengers to Have Fun in the Sun — But Do This, and You'll Get Burned With a New $500 Fee

The cruise line's updated contract follows a spate of unruly guest behavior across the tourism industry.

Franchise

How to Bring Your Franchise to the Next Level With Marketing Automation

With the impacts of inflation and associated costs of running a business, automation is a powerful solution for streamlining a positive guest experience and overall marketing.