Miami Shores man accused of running nationwide boat-sales fraud scheme as more victims come forward, police say

A Miami Shores man is facing a growing list of fraud charges after investigators explained he orchestrated an online boat-sales scheme that took tens of thousands of dollars from customers nationwide and never delivered a single vessel According to multiple arrest reports -year-old Ricardo Ulrich Deuker who also used the names Ric Ruthenberg and Ricardo Ulrich Deuker Ruthenberg is accused of defrauding at least six casualties through his Opa-locka business UP Boats LLC Police declared more casualties have come forward in up-to-date weeks revealing what detectives describe as an ongoing pattern of deception false promises and financial loss The complaints span from through late and detail similar accounts Customers uncovered UP Boats online communicated directly with Deuker paid in full for custom tenders or carbon-fiber dinghies and then faced months of delays unanswered emails and blocked calls Investigators disclosed that in each occurrence the boats were never delivered no refunds were issued and the company had no valid business license According to an arrest statement one victim stated wiring in March for a boat he never received and reported Deuker stopped responding straightaway after the payment Government declared another buyer paid more than for a vessel and shipping in June only to be met with silence following repeated requests for updates Another victim broadcasted sending in and later discovering that the shipping company link Deuker provided was linked to a website created that same day police declared Investigators revealed a fourth victim from the Virgin Islands paid after seeing UP Boats on YouTube and received only a message about technical and financial hurdles before Deuker cut off all communication A fifth victim mailed a check after being promised a September delivery date then received no updates despite dozens of calls and emails investigators declared Preponderance in recent days investigators mentioned a buyer who paid for a high-end tender claimed he twice flew to Florida to check on the boat but uncovered the facility closed and no evidence his vessel existed Detectives executed a search warrant at Deuker s Miami Shores residence where they explained evidence displayed he was maintaining a lavish lifestyle and preparing for a family trip to Canc n while retaining sufferers funds with no apparent intent to produce or ship any boats Deuker has been charged in multiple felony cases including organized fraud grand theft and conspiracy