Two and a half months after Miami building collapsed, gang who stole victims’ identities to commit fraud has fallen

Crime does not stop even in the midst of a tragedy. The police Florida dismantled a gang that had stolen the identities of at least five victims of the complex Champlain Tours South, of Surfside, in North Miami-Dade, nearly two and a half months after the collapse that left 98 people dead on June 24.

These are three people arrested Wednesday on multiple charges related to fraud and counterfeiting, said the Miami-Dade prosecutor’s office at a press conference.

The detainees were identified as Betsy Alexandra Cacho Medina, 30; Rodney Choute, 38, and Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34.

The gang, authorities said, had stolen the identities of at least five people who died and two survivors of the Surfside building collapse.

However, the public prosecutor Katherine Fernandez Rundle He said the investigation is ongoing and more victims could be found.

“These individuals appear to be very skilled identity thieves, they are professionals,” he said. He added: “Except for their names, almost nothing else about them seems to be true.”

How the fraud was detected

The scam was foiled after the sister of one of the victims who died in the drama was suspected. The woman contacted police on July 9, just 15 days after the collapse and while rescue efforts were still underway. on site looking for survivors.

The woman had noticed password changes on her sister’s bank accounts and credit cards, as well as new addresses and contact details. Of course, none of the addresses were from the residences of the identity thieves, authorities said.

The group used multiple delivery locations for illicit purchases, a tactic commonly used in fraud, investigators said.

As reported by the prosecution, the gang stole about $ 45,000 through illicit cash transfers and making expensive purchases with fraudulently obtained credit and debit cards.

The researchers, cited by PA, said bank and store security guards were successful in preventing the theft of an additional $ 67,000 in fraudulent activity.

Several agencies were involved in the fraud investigation, including the Miami-Dade, Surfside and Aventura Police Departments, as well as the United States Secret Service, the country’s Postal Inspection Service, and the Marshals’ Service. United States.

What about the collapse investigation

Meanwhile, local authorities are still trying to determine the cause of the 40-year-old building collapse after warning of serious structural failures.

Brigades that participated in the rescue efforts removed all debris from the site, which was taken to a warehouse near Miami International Airport for examination as part of the investigation into the causes of the tragedy.