Jury Awards $40k Damages in Miami-Dade Court Fraud Dispute

Cristorellas Dream LLC vs Tina Hyde et al

• Court: Florida State, Miami-Dade County, Eleventh Circuit Court
• Case Number: 2021-016676-CA-01
• Filed: 6^thJuly, 2021
• Judges: Vivianne Del Rio
• Case Type: Business Transactions
• Cause: Fraud and Unjust Enrischment

Parties Involved

Plaintiff: Cristorellas Dream LLC

• Counsel for Plaintiff: Moises Alejandro Saltiel

Defendant(s): Tina Hyde | Tina Hyde Group LLC | Tina Hyde Miami Realty LLC

• Counsel for Defendants: Juan G. Sanchez

Verdict Information

• Verdict Date: 3^rdApril, 2024
• Total amount awarded to Plaintiff: $40,000.00

About the Case

Cause

Plaintiff, Cristorella, a Florida Limited Liability Company, entrusted Tania Hyde (Hyde), an individual resident of Miami-Dade County, with managing their day-to-day operations and finding a suitable property. Established around March 23, 2017, by its principal owners, Cesar A. Pasquali and Cristela A. Rodrigues Beccaria, both foreign nationals with investment interests in South Florida, Cristorella initially appointed Pasquali, Beccaria, and Hyde as its authorized managers.

Hyde, serving as the local manager, managed Cristorella’s daily operations and found a suitable property for Pasquali and Beccaria’s investment pursuits, hence the business name, Cristorella’s Dreams LLC. In December 2018, Hyde presented Cristorella with an opportunity to acquire a certain property, later identified as the Subject Property. She indicated a purchase price of $35,000 with a potential resale value of at least $75,000 after development. Relying on Hyde’s representations, Cristorella entered into an agreement to purchase the Subject Property from Miami Auction, solely managed by Hyde, without being informed of her involvement.

However, it later emerged that Hyde had misrepresented the true nature of the Subject Property, which couldn’t be developed due to zoning restrictions, and had intentionally interfered with its resale. Additionally, TH Group failed to provide the agreed-upon maintenance services despite collecting fees.

Injury

Cristorella suffered significant financial harm due to Hyde’s actions. They were misled into purchasing the Subject Property under false pretenses of its development potential, resulting in a substantial loss of investment. Additionally, Hyde’s failure to disclose her ownership interest in Miami Auction and the true nature of the property caused further financial losses. Despite paying fees for property management services to Th Group, Cristorella did not receive the agreed-upon maintenance, leading to additional financial harm.

Damages

Cristorella alleged multiple breaches by Hyde and her companies, including breach of fiduciary duties, fraud through misrepresentations inducing the property purchase, and unjust enrichment by collecting fees for unrendered services. These actions resulted in substantial financial damages, encompassing the initial investment in the Subject Property, losses due to its misrepresented development potential, financial harm from Hyde’s interference in resale, and fees paid for maintenance services not provided. As a remedy, Cristorella sought compensation for the damages incurred, including attorney’s fees and punitive damages for intentional misconduct.

Jury Verdict

The jury found Tina Hyde responsible for making a false statement regarding a material fact, resulting in $20,000 in punitive damages. Additionally, both Tina Hyde Miami Realty LLC and Tina Hyde Group LLC were held accountable for breaching their fiduciary duties, resulting in $10,000 in damages each for Cristorella’s Dream LLC. The total damages awarded to Cristorella’s Dream LLC by the jury amounted to $40,000.

Court Documents:

1. Complaint
2. Verdict for Plaintiff