Rachael Smith, Alleged Craigslist Apartment Scammer, Due in Court. Or Is She?

Rachael Smith is due in court again today. Will she go 2-for-2?

​Last month, victims of alleged Craigslist apartment scammer Rachael Smith were shocked when she actually made her court date. If she makes today's scheduled hearing, however, it would come as something of a surprise to police.

Smith made headlines over the summer when she was arrested for allegedly accepting $5,100 for first and last month's rent and deposit from numerous would-be renters of the same Richmond District apartment, then skipping town with more than $100,000. (Yes, it's the low-tech version of the scheme Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom pulled in The Producers).

Prior to Smith's Sept. 2 court date, however, police investigators have uncovered more than a dozen new victims -- and those charges will likely be made today. Should Smith make the trip from Los Angeles to attend her scheduled hearing, she'll possibly be re-arrested, face bail of perhaps $300,000 or more, and could even be remanded into custody. She knows this, and police know she knows this.

Inspector John Monroe earlier told SF Weekly he plans to introduce "15 or 16" additional grand theft charges to go alongside the original four that led to Smith's arrest. The beefing up of the criminal charges could warrant the aforementioned bail -- or jail.

Smith's hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m.

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