MIAMI – A man arrested by Miami police Tuesday after police said he stabbed his former landlord is also suspected of “several cases” of real estate fraud in South Florida.
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Youssef Megahed was booked into jail on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The 39-year-old was out on bond at the time of his arrest on charges in connection with an August burglary case in northwest Miami-Dade.
Megahed’s latest arrest report lists his home address as a business in an industrial section of Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood; his August arrest report listed his home address as a since-demolished Miami Subs Grill in Riviera Beach.
The latest crime the Egyptian national is accused of happened Monday at a business in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood, according to police.
The Miami Police Department arrest report states that the victim arrived at the business, located at 665 NW 62nd St., at around 10:25 a.m. to do renovation work “when he noticed the front door was open.”
“Once he entered, the victim stated he was stabbed in his left eye, at which time he was able to wrestle the weapon away from the suspect,” police wrote. “The victim further stated that he recognized the suspect as a previous tenant of the property.”
After police arrived, medics took the victim, “who was bleeding profusely from his left eye,” to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The building’s property manager gave the suspect’s name as “Youssef Samir” and police were able to determine Megahed’s identity.
A detective canvassing the area “discovered a grey and blue screwdriver in the rear, easternmost side of the parking lot” of a neighboring business, the report states.
Police said surveillance video showed a “scuffle” and Megahed fleeing “as he carried a blue container or bucket.”
At around 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, police said they went to Megahed’s listed address at 1565 NW 28th St. and took him into custody.
A search of the address conducted pursuant to a warrant revealed a key clue, police said.
“A multi-colored checkered shirt matching the description observed on the surveillance footage of the clothing article worn by (Megahed) on the date of the incident was located inside,” the report states. “The shirt has suspected dry blood on it.”
Megahed’s statements to police were redacted from his arrest report.
He was previously arrested in August by officers of what was then the Miami-Dade Police Department after he was accused of breaking into a business he apparently once rented at 3045 NW 62nd St. in the unincorporated Gladeview area and removing a fridge.
Megahed, the MDPD arrest report states, confessed to the crime, claiming he had “the misconception that he he still had rights to the property due to the business name still being on the property” and said he was “given permission” to be there by the previous owner.
He was arrested on three felonies, including burglary and criminal mischief, and was out on bond at the time of his arrest Tuesday.
Miami police didn’t elaborate on the nature of the real estate fraud allegations and it does not appear that Megahed is yet facing charges of that nature.
MPD officials did, however, “urge anyone who’s had interactions with Megahed” to call the agency’s Economic Crimes Unit at 305-603-6280.
As of Wednesday, he was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with a bond listed as “to be set.”