HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested a man accused of sexually battering a woman while impersonating an employee of a popular money transfer app.
A news release from the agency explains 23-year-old Steeve Louis confessed to pretending to be an employee of Cash App to "deceive and sexually assault a woman."
The incident began on Aug. 17 when Louis met a woman passenger while working as an Uber driver. Deputies say he gave his phone number to the woman, who was in the U.S. on a student visa attending a local university.
According to the sheriff's office, the 23-year-old downloaded Cash App on her phone under his account.
Fast forward to a couple of days later, the woman reportedly received messages on her phone from someone claiming to be a Cash App employee "enforcing federal law."
"The 'employee' said she had to prove she was in a relationship with Louis in order to have his Cash App account on her phone," the agency explains in the release. "If she could not, she will lose her student visa."
Out of fear, the woman set up a time to meet with Louis to stage photos, according to deputies.
After taking pictures and sending them to the "employee," they allegedly responded claiming they weren't intimate enough. Deputies say this is when the woman undressed with the plan of only pretending to be intimate with Louis.
But the 23-year-old sexually assaulted the woman, the sheriff's office explains.
Detectives were able to figure out through an investigation that it was actually Louis impersonating a Cash App employee and texting the woman.
"I am profoundly disturbed by the actions of an individual who, under the guise of authority, took advantage of an international student's vulnerability," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement."The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office will continue to stand against those who exploit and harm others in our community."
Louis was arrested and is now facing charges of sexual battery by a person 18 or older upon a victim 18 or older.
10 Tampa Bay reached out to Uber for a statement on the incident to which a spokesperson replied, "This driver’s actions are sickening and have no place in the Uber community. We have banned his account and stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation.”
According to the ride-share company, post-trip contact between riders and drivers is prohibited. The only time it should happen is when a lost item needs to be returned.
Riders and drivers can report any incident through the Uber app or through the company's Safety Incident Reporting Line.
There is an investigation ongoing into the incident.
