Fawaz Shittu was booked Tuesday on grand theft and fraud charges, according to jail records. As of Wednesday afternoon he remained at the sheriff's Key West detention facility.

The case began in 2024, when a woman told investigators she had paid $1,440 to rent a home on Big Pine Key that she had found advertised online. According to the sheriff's office, she only discovered the listing was bogus when she showed up at the property.

Detectives built the case using bank, credit card and email records, which they say pointed to Shittu. At the time they identified him, authorities said, he was in a Texas jail serving time for stealing from a nonprofit organization.

The arrest highlights a persistent problem in the Keys, where a tight and expensive housing market pushes many visitors toward short-term rentals booked sight-unseen through online listings. Fake rental ads can be difficult to trace, and victims often learn they have been defrauded only after traveling to the property.

Sheriff's officials did not say whether they believe other travelers were targeted, and they released no additional details about how the Big Pine Key listing was posted or where it appeared. Court records for Shittu were not immediately available Wednesday.

Residents and visitors who suspect a rental listing is fraudulent are urged to contact the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.