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Venezuelan immigrant describes rental scam at San Antonio apartment complex raided by authorities

Palatia Apartment tenant says scammers gave bogus lease agreements to unwitting immigrants

SAN ANTONIO – When a host of local, state, and federal agencies raided the Palatia Apartments Saturday morning, it was the end of a long year.

San Antonio police records show that in the year leading up to the raid, there were about 1,500 calls for service at the complex’s primary address on Sahara Drive, near U.S. Highway 281 and San Pedro Avenue. That includes more than 140 calls for shots fired, 14 burglary cases, and 12 assault in progress cases.

The raid resulted in 19 arrests, including four members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the clearing of nearly 300 vacant units.

But migrants were also victims.

A renter who still lives at the complex Tuesday said people from many nationalities lived there. When he moved in last December, it wasn’t long before he heard gunshots.

“When it would rain, they would take advantage of the sound of the water,” Camillo Vasquez explained in Spanish and mimicked the sound of gunshots.

Vasquez also said his friend and others had been conned by people giving them bogus leases at the complex.

Vasquez explained there were people who would go to the city’s Migrant Resource Center and tell immigrants that they had an apartment available for $900 with everything included, with the first month free.

“And they would come with all their clothes and belongings, and the office would show up and remove them. And they’d show them the contract. But no, it wasn’t a contract. It was fake,” he said.

Vasquez did not believe it was only Venezuelans running the scam. The ones he knew of had different accents.

And while Vasquez couldn’t say for sure if there had been TDA members at the complex, he had no problem if any were, in fact, caught up in the raid.

“We would like everything to be like before when I first arrived in this country. Everyone was friendly, and everything was very nice. I couldn’t find a job, but right now, that has been very hard. If you say you’re Venezuelan, they don’t want to give you a job,” he said.

KSAT contacted the management of Palatia Apartment for comment. Two separate phone numbers appeared to be disconnected, and a staff member told KSAT to leave the property. A reporter left a card at the leasing office but had not received a call back as of air time.

Catholic Charities runs the Migrant Resource Center’s day-to-day operations. In response to emailed questions from KSAT, spokeswoman Kimberly LaQue wrote, “We stand behind all federal agencies in their commitment to protecting individuals from exploitation and criminal activities.”

When asked about how the nonprofit ensures gang members aren’t coming through the Migrant Resource Center or that other migrants at the facility aren’t being victimized, LaQue said simply, “The MRC has 24-hour San Antonio police officers on site and security guards stationed inside the facility.”


About the Authors
Garrett Brnger headshot

Garrett Brnger is a reporter with KSAT 12.

Luis Cienfuegos headshot

Luis Cienfuegos is a photographer at KSAT 12.

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