Jewelers sold $70,000 in fake Rolex watches, Miami-Dade deputies say

Two well-known jewelers are behind bars for selling a customer $70,000 worth of fake Rolex watches, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Customer Irian Garcia bought several watches from Jonathan Parra, 37, and Paula Sanchez, 33, “who claimed the timepieces were authentic,” deputies say.

But when water got inside one of the watches, the buyer started questioning the authenticity of the watches he spent thousands of dollars on. An exam by an independent certified jeweler confirmed the watches were counterfeit. One watch, advertised as new, was more than 10 years old, deputies say.

When the buyer tried to contact Parra and Sanchez, they cut off communication and blocked his number and social media accounts, deputies say.

Investigators located the pair in Cape Coral in Southwest Florida. With assistance from Cape Coral police, they got a warrant and searched their home. They were arrested and are waiting to be brought back to Miami-Dade County. Parra and Sanchez are charged with organized fraud and scheme to defraud $50,000 or more.

Detectives believe additional victims may exist, given the couples long-standing involvement in the jewelry business.

This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 10:48 AM.