Clerk is charged in scheme to scam divorcing couples (Florida)

[bijou]

A Miami-Dade court clerk was arrested Tuesday on charges she scammed at least four couples by promising them ''quickie divorces'' and then filing fraudulent paperwork on their behalf.

One of the couples had the divorce vacated more than eight months after it was granted. Investigators are still combing through files in case other couples were scammed by the clerk.

''Our people are looking at many, many divorce files and many folders,'' said Miami-Dade Inspector General Chris Mazzella, whose office investigated the alleged scam.

Olga L. Avila, a 16-year veteran of the clerk of courts office, was charged with 52 counts of fraud, unlawful compensation and other crimes.

Avila approached three of the couples when they came to the courthouse to find out what they needed to do to get divorced, according to the arrest affidavit. The fourth couple was referred to Avila by one of the other couples.

She offered each couple ''quickie divorces'' for $670 and promised that her services were legal and cheaper than that of an attorney.

But investigators say her services weren't legal and were actually more expensive than what the couples would have paid if they had filed the paperwork themselves.

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