POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – A Pompano Beach man was arrested earlier this month by the Broward Sheriff’s Office on accusations that he installed hidden cameras in the men’s bathrooms at various YouFit gyms across South Florida.
According to his arrest report, the investigation began on Sept. 12 when YouFit management called BSO to report that a hidden camera was found mounted under the sink in the men’s handicap accessible bathroom stall at the YouFit at 4032 W. Hillsboro Blvd. in Deerfield Beach.
Detectives said the regional manager for the gyms reported that another camera was found inside a drain cover under a sink in the same bathroom stall, facing the toilet.
According to the report, the regional manager directed all of his gym managers to search all of the men and women bathroom stalls for any hidden cameras.
Hidden cameras were then discovered inside the men’s handicap bathroom stalls at YouFit gyms in Boynton Beach and Davie, authorities said.
According to the report, BSO detectives made contact with Boynton Beach police detectives who discovered that a man by the name of “Santiago Lopez” was a gym member who had visited the different gyms where the hidden cameras were located, as well as a gym in Miami, within a two-month period.
Detectives said the SD card from a hidden camera found in Deerfield Beach contained at least 50 videos of males who were recorded without their knowledge or consent.
At least two of the males appeared to be teenagers, authorities said.
According to the report, detectives later discovered that Lopez’s full name was Bernardo Reyes Santiago Lopez.
They said the 30-year-old was captured on a hidden camera from Deerfield Beach.
An arrest warrant was eventually issued for Lopez on Nov. 1 in Palm Beach County.
He was taken into custody on Nov. 3 in Pompano Beach in connection with that warrant and confessed to setting up cameras in several YouFit gyms, including the one in Deerfield Beach, the report stated.
Detectives said they spoke with several victims from the Deerfield Beach gym on Nov. 7 who confirmed that they were filmed without their consent.
While Santiago Lopez was being taken into custody, he allegedly admitted to planting the cameras and said that he recorded those men for his “personal pleasure,” according to authorities.
Local 10 News spoke with Dylan Uldrich, a member of YouFit, who called the allegations “creepy.”
“I’ve heard that story about other gyms of course, but that’s creepy,” he said.
Charges were then added for Lopez who was already in custody at the BSO Main Jail.
He faces multiple counts of video voyeurism and remains in jail on an out of county hold.
A spokesperson for YouFit released the following statement to Local 10 News on Thursday:
“We became aware of hidden cameras in a few isolated YouFit locations in South Florida. We immediately removed the cameras, contacted law enforcement, and assisted in the investigations that led to the arrest of the suspect. This individual is no longer eligible to rejoin our fitness community. We value the privacy of our members and we are thankful for the support of the Broward County Sheriff and Boynton Beach Police Dept.”