Authorities in Miami Springs, Florida, have charged a pizza maker with impersonating a well-known pizzeria and misleading tourists. Jesus Roman, the owner of Roman’s Pizzeria, claims that Jose Marti-Alvarez, who was recently arrested, has been distributing fake flyers for a similarly named pizzeria, Roman Cuisine Pizzeria. Roman wants Marti-Alvarez to conduct his business under a different name.
According to CBS News, Marti-Alvarez faces charges of “organized scheme to defraud” and assault. The assault charge relates to an incident where Marti-Alvarez allegedly hit a hotel manager with his car while leaving the hotel after being confronted about the misleading flyers.
Local 10 reports that Marti-Alvarez is accused of running an elaborate scheme to deceive tourists by advertising a fake pizzeria with a name close to Roman’s Pizzeria. Roman claims that some of the pizzas from the fake pizzeria were poorly made, with complaints of undercooked items and raw dough.
Roman’s Pizzeria, which was reviewed positively by Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports, has been mistakenly associated with the fraudulent Roman Cuisine Pizzeria. The police investigation revealed that guests believed they were ordering from the established Roman’s Pizzeria when, in fact, they were receiving subpar food from Marti-Alvarez’s operation.
Barstool Sports noted that the flyers for Roman Cuisine Pizzeria differed in design and contact information from those of Roman’s Pizzeria. The situation has been likened to a plot from “The Office,” where a mix-up with a similarly named pizza place led to poor-quality food.
It is unclear whether Roman Cuisine Pizzeria is a licensed restaurant in Miami Springs. PMQ found a voice message in Spanish when calling the number on the flyers.
Roman reported that the alleged scam has been ongoing for years, leading to numerous customer complaints about undercooked food and missing items. In an interview with Local 10, Roman explained that customers often come to his restaurant, upset and confused, demanding food they never received. This confusion has also led to negative online reviews and complaints to the Better Business Bureau.
Roman grew concerned for his staff’s safety after a recent customer visit and reported the issue to the police. The authorities responded by posting no-trespassing signs in local hotels.
Roman expressed a desire to resolve the issue without further conflict. “I didn’t want him to get arrested, but it was necessary to stop him,” Roman told NBC 6. “He should operate under his own name and provide quality food. Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed.”
Roman is not seeking a lengthy prison sentence or an apology from Marti-Alvarez. Instead, he hopes Marti-Alvarez will cease using his restaurant’s name and conduct his business properly under a different identity.