A former of employee of The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables has been arrested for allegedly stealing nearly $8,000 worth of lobster tails.
A former employee of The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables has been arrested on suspicion of stealing nearly $8,000 worth of lobster tails.
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Nearly 200 lobster tails and more than 100 pounds of pork belly allegedly disappeared from the kitchens of the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, leading to the arrest of a former employee accused of stealing nearly $8,000 worth of food.
According to CBS Miami, 37-year-old Diego Alfredo Medina Acosta was arrested Monday, October 5, and charged with grand theft after the hotel’s head chef discovered major discrepancies in its weekly food inventory.
The missing items included 192 lobster tails valued at $6,525, 116.7 pounds of pork belly worth $637, 30 portions of center-cut snapper, 11 cleaned calamari, shrimp, Argentine chorizo, gnocchi, and coconut milk. In total, the missing food was valued at $7,854.36.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, investigators reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly showed Medina Acosta arriving before his scheduled shifts. The footage shows him entering areas where the missing food was stored.
In one recording, he was allegedly seen moving a cart loaded with lobster. He was later seen returning it with some of the lobster missing. Investigators also reported seeing him use entrances other than the designated employee entrance.
When questioned, Medina Acosta told police he arrived early to prepare for work and occasionally left to take dirty laundry home. He also claimed he had moved the lobster to thaw. However, he reportedly could not explain why some of it was missing.
The hotel reported that inventory shortages decreased significantly after Medina Acosta resigned.
Medina Acosta has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
Provided by Biltmore Hotel Miami
Former employee charged with grand theft
During his initial court appearance, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer found probable cause for the grand theft charge. She set bond at $2,500. She also ordered Medina Acosta to stay away from the Biltmore Hotel.
Medina Acosta has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
In a statement to CBS Miami, Biltmore Hotel president and CEO Tom Prescott said the hotel maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward theft. He also welcomed the findings of the investigation.
As for where the 192 lobster tails ended up, that remains unclear.
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Victoria Stanzione is a Miami native and a natural storyteller with a lifelong passion for food, culture, and connection. A former editor-in-chief of Gulliver Prep’s Rider Voice and a Pepperdine University graduate with a degree in political science and intercultural communications, she blends her journalistic instincts with experience in media, hospitality, and the podcast industry, where she manages talent, brand messaging, and creative development. Rooted in Miami but shaped by global travel and a passion for wine and the narratives that define people and place, she brings an inquisitive, culturally fluent lens to every story she tells.
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