Wife and husband are accused of running brothels in Miami Gardens and elsewhere
Three people were arrested Tuesday and are facing charges after an investigation into neighborhood brothels, human trafficking and money laundering in Miami Gardens.
Elibeth Tovar, 41; her husband, Yasdid Paul Ortiz, 52; and Omar Jaimes, 43, are facing felony charges of money laundering, racketeering and prostitution. Tovar faces a charge of human trafficking.
A large-scale human-trafficking and racketeering enterprise was uncovered by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office (SAO); the federal Human Trafficking Task Force (HTTF); the Miami Gardens Police Department; and Homeland Security Investigations (an agency within the Department of Homeland Security), said Miami Gardens police.
The operation, allegedly led by Tovar, has been linked to several brothels across Miami Gardens and other parts of Miami-Dade County, police say.
According to an arrest report filed in a Miami-Dade criminal court by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office:
The investigation began on August 26, 2022, when undercover officers working on an unrelated case came across escort ads on a website known for prostitution. These ads provided phone numbers linked to Tovar’s operations. Undercover officers arranged meetings at one of Tovar’s brothels at 2370 NW 153rd Street, confirming the illicit activities taking place there.
The HTTF’s investigation identified brothel locations allegedly operated by Tovar at:
▪ 2370 NW 153rd Street, Miami Gardens
▪ 4780 NW 177th Street, Miami-Dade
▪ 4100 NW 179th Street, Miami Gardens
▪ 12154 SW 131st Avenue, Miami-Dade
▪ 19277 NW 27th Avenue, Apt 2405, Miami Gardens
▪ 19273 NW 27th Avenue, Apt 3313, Miami Gardens
According to the report, undercover operations at these addresses revealed a structured system of prostitution. Prices were negotiated for sexual activities, and surveillance confirmed frequent visits by clients. On September 8, 2022, during a surveillance operation at 2370 NW 153rd Street, a man was observed visiting the brothel. He later admitted to receiving sexual favors in exchange for home-repair work.
One victim stated she had left New York with all her belongings and $15,000, her life savings. She said she had met Tovar in June 2021 on vacation in Las Vegas at a casino and struck up a conversation and the two exchanged phone numbers. Tovar later called the victim and convinced her to move to South Florida, promising her a job at her husband’s elevator company.
She said Tovar made her give Tovar the $15,000 and promised to place it into the business account of her husband, Ortiz. Due to the victim’s status as a visa overstay, she could not open a bank account.
Once she arrived in Miami, Tovar told the victim the job was no longer available.
Tovar also promised to help the victim find another job and suggested she could leave her 4-year-old child with a nanny whom Tovar used. However, Tovar drove the victim to 12154 SW 131st Avenue in Miami-Dade. The victim described the site as a warehouse in an industrial area. Inside, the victim saw four women dressed provocatively and realized the job involved having sex with men for money.
The victim was told her work schedule would be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. With no other place to stay and Tovar holding her child and money, the victim felt forced to comply out of desperation.
The victim worked at the warehouse brothel alongside 12-15 other women in staggered shifts. Someone who helped run the brothel took photographs of the women in various stages of undress and uploaded them to websites known for advertising sex services, according to Miami Gardens investigators..
Scale of Financial Transactions
Ortiz, Tovar’s husband, was crucial in managing the financial aspects. Ortiz’s legitimate business, SS Elevator Designs, was used as a front to launder money, according to arrest reports. Forensic analysis showed that while Ortiz earned $60,000 annually from the business, there was a significant influx of cash, largely from Zelle transfers.
Ortiz’s phone numbers were tied to sex ads and were used for Zelle transactions linked to Tovar and other associates. police say.
An associate allegedly was also involved in these financial operations, using Zelle to move money between accounts to obscure the illegal proceeds.
Forensic analysis of Tovar’s bank accounts revealed extensive money-laundering activities, police say. Proceeds from prostitution were funneled through various accounts, often under different names to conceal their origin.
The investigation uncovered substantial amounts of money funneled through various accounts. Tovar and her associates allegedly used the money to maintain and expand their operations by purchasing several vehicles and securing new properties for brothels.
It is estimated that the operation funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars through Zelle and other financial services, with exact amounts still being calculated as the investigation continues.
The brothels operated with a strict fee schedule and profit-sharing system, police say. Workers were allegedly charged for ad postings and operational costs, with a portion of their earnings taken as “house fees.” Surveillance footage and witness statements confirmed these locations were regularly active until some were shut down following undercover operations.
