Miami, FL
Convicted Miami scammer now accused of fake rape claim, attempted murder
HIALEAH, Fla. – A woman convicted of multiple felonies for scamming thousands of dollars from prospective Miami apartment renters is now in even more serious trouble — this time in Hialeah.
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Local 10 News first reported on Valerie Meza-Faublack in 2022, when she donned the alter ego “Hamanda” and lied to multiple would-be renters about the availability of a Little Havana apartment so she could steal thousands in security deposits.
Now, the 23-year-old is accused of lying about being raped and firing more than a dozen gunshots at the man she claimed did it — all while on probation for the scamming spree.
Meza-Faublack, of Hollywood, is now facing charges including armed robbery and attempted murder following her arrest on Wednesday.
According to the Hialeah Police Department, officers responded to a warehouse parking lot at 490 W. 18th St. just after 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 for what they thought was a sexual battery and shooting investigation.
An arrest report states that Meza-Faublack claimed she met a man, originally viewed as the suspect, outside of her workplace: the Rainbow Restaurant off West Eighth Avenue.
Police said she claimed he drove her to the parking lot, where he took out a gun, forced her to pull her pants down, raped her, then “dragged her out of the driver side door by her hair” and fired shots at her while she was escaping. They said they learned the next day, however, that Meza-Faublack refused to let staff at the Roxcy Bolton Rape Treatment Center perform a rape kit on her.
Authorities said the man told them that he met Meza-Faublack, whom he didn’t know, at a bar. The report states she asked him if he wanted to leave the bar with her and he agreed.
The two went to the parking lot and undressed to have sex, he told police.
“As the victim attempted to climb into the rear passenger seat of the motor vehicle, (Meza-Faublack) unlawfully took possession of his firearm, which was in the driver compartment area, and began shooting into the vehicle where he was occupying the rear passenger seat,” the report states. “After the shooting stopped, (the) victim advised he exited the vehicle, physically retrieved the firearm from (her) and fled the scene.”
Authorities said they interviewed Meza-Faublack again on Wednesday. She claimed, police said, that she had paid the victim $20 to charge her phone in his vehicle. She said he then drove her to the parking lot, where he raped her — but not at gunpoint — then tried to rape her again. The report states she told detectives that she then convinced the man to “let her go urinate outside.”
Much of the rest of her statement was redacted, but detectives later noted that Meza-Faublack said “once she saw the victim retrieved his firearm, she ran to the front passenger side door and attempted to open it” to get her cellphone.
Detectives said they were “able to disprove” Meza-Faublack’s accounts of the incident and corroborate the victim’s account, after viewing surveillance video clips.
Police described in the report what the clips showed:
“In the videos, the defendant (Meza-Faublack) is seen exiting from the front passenger seat on her own, as she is removing her own blue jacket and opens the right-rear passenger door. The defendant then throws her jacket into the front passenger seat and left both passenger doors open. The defendant voluntarily walks around the rear of the vehicle and goes to the driver side door, where she met with the victim.
The defendant is then seen standing in between the open driver side door and the doorway for several minutes with her pants still properly on. After a brief time, the victim and the defendant enters the vehicle via the left side and all four doors are seen being closed from the occupants inside the vehicle. The defendant and the victim remained inside the vehicle for several minutes.
Shortly thereafter, the defendant exits the vehicle through the driver side door and immediately began shooting into the occupied vehicle. After the shooting, the victim is seen exiting from the left-rear passenger door and a physical struggle for the firearm from the defendants grasp ensued.
After the victim retrieved his empty firearm from the defendant, the defendant ran back to the front passenger door and attempted to open the door as the victim re-entered his vehicle. The victim ultimately fled the scene without the defendant. Investigation revealed the defendant fired 15 shots at the victim as he was inside his vehicle.”
Hialeah Police Department arrest report, spaced into separate paragraphs for readability
Apparently, none of the 15 shots hit the man.
Authorities arrested Meza-Faublack on the aforementioned armed robbery and attempted murder charges, as well as counts of felon in possession of a firearm, shooting or throwing a deadly missile and filing a false police report. She’s pictured in her Miami-Dade mugshot bearing a lower neck tattoo reading “Love.”
Jail records show she’s being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Thursday.
The Venezuelan national also has an immigration hold.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Miami, FL
I went to 2 famous Miami restaurants, a flashy steakhouse and a Cuban hot spot. Here’s how they compared.
Café La Trova celebrated the city’s Cuban heritage through live music, warm hospitality, and dishes that felt deeply rooted in local culture.
Papi Steak, meanwhile, embraced Miami’s flashy, see-and-be-seen reputation with theatrical presentations, celebrity appeal, and an atmosphere that often felt more like a nightclub than a standard steakhouse.
Despite Papi Steak’s over-the-top reputation, nearly every dish I tried — from the wagyu pastrami to the hamachi crudo — was thoughtfully prepared and tasted just as good as it looked. If you’re looking for an indulgent, special-occasion dinner where the spectacle is part of the fun, it’s easy to understand why the restaurant has become such a phenomenon.
Still, if I could only recommend one restaurant to a first-time visitor, I’d choose Café La Trova.
While Papi Steak offered the more decadent, once-in-a-lifetime meal, Café La Trova delivered a more authentic Miami experience, pairing outstanding food and cocktails with a genuine sense of the city’s history and culture.
Miami, FL
7 more women arrested at southwest Miami-Dade massage parlors, accused of prostitution in undercover sting
Seven more women have been arrested at massage parlors across Miami-Dade, following a wave of arrests in an undercover prostitution sting operation run by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
All seven women appeared in bond court facing prostitution charges as well as running a massage business without a license. The arrests come a day after seven other women were arrested at massage parlors in southwest Miami-Dade. Those locations were closed after the first round of arrests.
According to arrest reports, the women would offer sexual acts to an undercover detective after a massage. They would also charge, according to the reports, prices ranging from $50 to $150.
The women’s ages ranged from 46 to 67 years old:
- Yaoying Lin, 58
- Xiufen Lin, 51
- Yan Xi, 48
- Zixuan Wang, 46
- Mei Hui Lin, 49
- Quirong Xu, 67
- Hongli Ren, 63
Judge Mindy Glazer presided over the bond court appearances. During the proceedings, she referenced charges of “committing a lascivious act and engaging in prostitution,” according to CBS News Miami’s reporting from the courthouse.
Yaoying Lin’s attorney, Paul Petruzzi, persuaded the judge to reduce her charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.
“She’s resided in Miami for many years. Married. And has never failed to appear,” Petruzzi said.
“They had my client held overnight. She was charged with a felony unfairly. To the point where a judge on her own dismissed it. It’s either real bad, bad, bad police work. Or it’s something else. A little bit more nefarious. I’m afraid the latter,” Petruzzi said.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said that they will not be providing any interviews regarding this undercover sting at this time.
Miami, FL
2026 Miami Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 8: North Carolina
This is the eighth edition of Miami Hurricanes on SI’s breakdown of each team on the 2026-27 Miami Hurricanes football schedule.
Miami, to this point, is coming off its biggest test of the year against Pitt. Now they will turn their attention to Bill Belichick and what he has accomplished to this point in his second season as a college football head coach.
North Carolina should be better than last season after a disappointing 4-8 2025 outcome. However, the Hurricanes also understand that this is the ideal trap game before they head on the road to face Notre Dame in one of the biggest games of the season, which could hold massive playoff implications.
Miami can’t look forward. All eyes will be on what the new season and another fun home game against a rising contender.
Here’s everything you need to know about UNC and its 2026 unit.
The Offense
Petrino03 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Thursday 17, 2014
After coming off one of the worst offensive outputs in the country last season, Belichick knew that he needed to make a move quickly. It started with hiring veteran coach Bobby Petrino as the teams offensive coordinator.
It won’t be the 126th ranked offense, but how much better could it get with Petrino making the calls? The Tar Heels will also have a new quarterback under center, but so far, no one knows who exactly it will be.
The most talented player in the quarterback room is Travis Burges. A 6-foot-4 freshman dual-threat quarterback with unlimited potential, but they also went into the transfer portal and landed some experience in former Wisconsin QB, Billy Edwards Jr., is expected to start, but the change could be made halfway through the season if things don’t work.
Two new starting receivers also entered from the transfer portal, but the consistency in the room was provided by Jordan Shipp. Last season, he led the team in receiving yards (671) and touchdowns (6), even with how bad the team was at scoring.
UNC’s rushing attack was also highlighted by returning sophomore Demon June. He rushed for nearly 500 yards in his limited snaps, averaging 5.5 yards a carry with two touchdowns.
Defense
Defense should be the calling card of the Tar Heels next season, led by their star pass rusher, Melkart Abou-Jaoude. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound rusher totaled 10.5 sacks and 47 tackles last season. Another year learning under Belichick would likely push him to be a first or second round pick in the 2027 Class, one that the Canes are paying close attention to.
Moreover, some familarity will be on the sideline and a likely starter during his freshman year in Keton Dopson, the former Miami Hurricanes commit. He reclassifed to the 2026 class, and flipped his commitment knowing that there is a better chance to get on the field quicker at UNC than the depth that he would have had to wait behind at least for this season.
UNC’s secondary is one of the more sound groups in the country compared to the rest of its roster. However, their linebacking core who rack up tackles, are transfers who have to learn the Belichick system.
Schedule
Schedule-wise, this game is the biggest trap game of the season for the Canes. If Miami finds its way past Pitt, it will be 7-0, and this game stands between the Canes and a rematch with the Fighting Irish.
This is the perfect time for Belichick to get his first signature win against a returning program like Miami, which puts a ton of pressure on the Canes to get the job done. However, the Canes can’t afford it, knowing what is coming next.
Moreover, this is the perfect chance for Darian Mensah to have a better game than last season’s outing against the Tar Heels. His one touchdown performance was one of his weaker games of the season, but it could be a step for him to get control of the Heisman conversation.
Outlook
MIami will be favored in this game, similar to how it will be for the rest of the season. UNC will give the Canes one of the better defensive matchups this season that will also test the offense.
Miami’s history against UNC in the Mario Cristobal era has shown it can have a high-flying offense but has to avoid self-inflicted wounds.
The Game
Date: October 31
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Location: Hard Rock Stadium
Series History: UNC leads 16-11
Last Meeting: 2023
The Team
The Coach: Bill Belichick
Offensive Coordinator: Bobby Petrino
Defensive Coordinator: Steve Belichick
2025 Record: 4-8
2025 Rankings: 126th Total Offense, 70th Total Defense
Players to Watch: Melkart Abou-Jaoude, R-Sr, EDGE
Top Newcomer: C.J. Sadler, WR, Freshman
Biggest Question: How will Belichick adjust in his second year as a college football head coach?
The School
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Founded: 1789
Enrollment: 32,099
Nickname: Tar Heels
Colors: Power Blue and White
Mascot (Symbols): Rameses the Live Ram
The Program
Last Win in the Series: 2023
Last ACC Title: 1980
National Championships: NA
Playoff Appearances: NA
Last missed bowl season: 2025
Heisman Trophies: NA
The Schedule
October 31, Time TBA, Pitt Panthers @ Miami Hurricanes
This is the eighth story in Miami Hurricanes on SI’s early preview series of all 12 regular-season opponents for Miami football in 2026.
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