Warrensville Heights: Suspected serial scam artist wanted; new victims coming forward

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH (WOIO) - Otis Simmons is wanted for allegedly keeping security deposits he took from women for an apartment he didn't own.

Warrensville Heights police believe he scammed 15 people out of roughly $6,000.

Through several lawyers and even by phone he has told police he would come in to answers questions regarding the investigation.

He's a no-show so far, and now he may have new problems in Euclid.

A woman who did not want to be identified was startled when she noticed him on TV.

"I saw Otis Simmons on the news scamming women with young children out of money," she said.

She reportedly had her own money problems with Simmons. She has receipts, emails and texts from Simmons that she says prove she paid him $175 for a uniform, and to enroll her son in what he claimed was an AAU basketball team he was starting.

She said he boasted about owning the Euclid Sports Plant. For the record, Simmons has no connection with that facility.

The AAU affiliation also appears to be false.

Paperwork Simmons said came from the AAU appears altered in several places.

"He never showed up and the van never showed up to take the children."

Eventually she simply gave up. She says at least 10 other women were allegedly scammed by Simmons.

She doesn't like the message it sends.

"It's discouraging for these young teenagers that you're trying to have them do the right thing and to have a grown man come against these kids it's teaching them bad habits."

Download the Cleveland 19 News app and First Alert Weather app.

Copyright 2017 WOIO. All rights reserved.