Lawyer Accused of Allegedly Charging for Legal Services Not Rendered
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
McALLEN, Texas – A woman identified as Karina Michelle Cerda is facing a theft charge after a client reported paying her $700 for legal services that were allegedly not performed, according to court documents. The probable cause statement indicates that the complaint was filed with the McAllen Police Department on April 28, 2026. The complainant informed authorities that she hired Cerda in December 2025 after finding her through social media to represent her in a child custody matter. According to the document, the woman paid $700 via Cash App for the legal services. The complainant claims that Cerda did not inform her about a scheduled hearing, repeatedly delayed her responses, and refused to issue a refund. The documents state that the woman later hired another attorney who informed her that no legal work had been done on her case. As part of the investigation, a McAllen Police detective reviewed text messages provided by the complainant and records related to the case. The statement also indicates that the investigator found social media posts from others making similar allegations about allegedly paid but unrendered legal services. What happened with the case in Cameron County Court? According to the probable cause statement, after paying $700 for legal services, the complainant checked the Cameron County Court records on December 29, 2025. The document states that upon reviewing the records, she discovered that no attorney was registered to represent her and that no work had been done on her case. The complainant told investigators that she subsequently attempted to contact Karina Michelle Cerda multiple times but received little communication and, according to the complaint, never gained access to the client portal despite requesting it several times. The documents indicate that she later hired another attorney, who also allegedly informed her that Cerda had not completed legal services in the case, as no records of such work were found. Investigator Requested Arrest Warrant According to the court document, Detective Benjamin Ramírez attempted to obtain a statement from Cerda over the phone, but she refused to provide one and indicated that she would hire an attorney. Based on the information gathered during the investigation, the detective requested that an arrest warrant be issued for Cerda on a Class B theft charge. The complaint alleges that Cerda obtained and exercised control over the $700 without the effective consent of the owner and with the intent to deprive her of that money. The allegations contained in the complaint are just that—allegations—and do not constitute a determination of guilt.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
