Local Restaurant Entrepreneur Arrested for Forgery

SAN ANGELO, TX – A San Angelo businessman is currently behind bars after police say he illegally signed an apartment lease for another person.

According to the affidavit signed by Justice of the Peace Eddie Howard, the owner of Napoli's and the newly opened Lilly's Pizza was arrested Thursday for allegedly signing an apartment lease for a former business partner. 

The San Angelo Police Department got word of the alleged forgery after the victim met with officers at the police headquarters. 

The victim told them that the incident started in Oct. 2018 when Bekim Zeka, 51, opened Napoli's Restaurant on the Concho River near downtown San Angelo. Zeka needed help with the restaurant so the victim was planning on moving into town. 

The two met up and found an apartment that was for rent on the 600 block of Parsons. They then found the realtor who leased the space and met with them. 

During this initial meeting, the two filled out a residential lease application. 

After the meeting, the two had a "falling out and terminated his business relationship with him." 

One year later, the victim received a collection notice from the agency demanding that he pay for a lease that he broke.

Police then went and spoke with the agent who leased the property and discovered that during the initial meeting they set up a lease agreement but it was not signed until later. 

During the later meeting only Zeka returned and signed the lease agreement for both of them. In order to prove identity the agent asked for a picture of them so Zeka provided social media pictures of them. 

Investigators then met with Zeka. During the interview, Zeka stated that he did return after the initial consultation but that he only returned to provide a deposit check and to pick up the keys. He also claims that the lease was signed during the initial consultation. 

The agency confirmed that they did receive a check from Zeka but it was returned from the bank for insufficient funds. 

Zeka is charged with forgery of a financial instrument. His bond is set at $7,500. 

Both Napoli's and Lilly's Pizza are still open regular schedule.