A 20-year-old Coral Springs man was arrested in Broward County on July 15, 2026, after a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigation tied him to a phone scam that defrauded a Big Pine Key couple out of more than $70,000.
Marqus Devon Braddy faces multiple counts of theft in connection with the incident. Additionally, he faces charges in Broward County for possession of fentanyl and unlawful carry of a concealed weapon, and authorities state he will likely face charges in Maryland as well.
According to investigators, Braddy contacted the first victim in April 2026, claiming to be an investigator for a major national bank.
He told the victim that fraudulent activity had occurred on his account and convinced him to withdraw a large sum of cash. The victim was then instructed to hand the cash over to a rideshare driver.
A few days later, the same scenario occurred involving the victim’s wife. Braddy convinced her to place another large sum of cash along with jewelry into a different rideshare vehicle. In total, the couple lost approximately $42,000 in cash and $30,000 in jewelry before realizing they had been scammed and contacting the Sheriff’s Office.
Monroe County detectives coordinated with the rideshare company and the Maryland Department of State Police, who were already investigating a similar case involving the same suspect.
The agencies worked together to gather evidence against Braddy, leading to the warrants for his arrest.
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