Rockville Centre Man Accused Of Taking $100K In Investment Deals On Properties He Didn’t Own: DA

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY — A Rockville Centre man is facing criminal charges this week after he was involved in real estate scams that netted him over $100,000, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors in Nassau County said 25-year-old Arnulfo Castillo was charged with second-and third-degree grand larceny and two counts of first-degree scheme to defraud this week for his role in multiple real estate investment schemes involving properties he didn’t own. Castillo’s defense attorney could not be reached for comment on this story.

According to prosecutors, Castillo entered into separate agreements in August 2024 with two real estate partners for properties in Uniondale and Mineola, and accepted a $40,000 payment from one partner and a $60,000 payment from the other.

After the payments had been sent and paperwork had been signed, Castillo dropped off the radar, avoiding all efforts by investors to contact him and failing to return down payments, prosecutors said.

Investigation by police revealed that Castillo had no stake in either property, meaning he had no authority to enter into the agreements he had signed, prosecutors said.

As for the down payment money, prosecutors said Castillo put it into several bank accounts and used it to cover personal and unrelated business expenses.

“This defendant allegedly pocketed victims’ investment money after promising substantial returns on residential properties he did not even own,” District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “Arnulfo Castillo a/k/a Alexander Castillo Carias Arnulfo allegedly preyed on the trust of the Latino community, using local organizations as a smokescreen to exploit families looking for legitimate investment opportunities. We believe there may be more victims, and I urge anyone who thinks they were targeted by this defendant to contact my office.”

Castillo has pleaded not guilty to his charges, and is due back in court July 15, prosecutors said. If found guilty, he could serve up to 15 years in prison, prosecutors said.