Three Charged In Identity Thefts Of Surfside Victims

Reuters reports:

A man and two women were arrested and charged with stealing the identities of seven victims of the Surfside condominium collapse near Miami Beach this summer and attempting to obtain credit cards in their names, a Florida prosecutor said on Wednesday.

Betsy Alejandra Cacho-Medina, 30, Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34, and Rodney Choute, 38, face multiple counts of identity theft and fraud, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at a news conference.

“Cyber grave robbers did move very quickly after the collapse to grab what they could while family and friends were in absolute emotional turmoil,” she said.

Read the full article.

Seven victims of the Surfside condo collapse—five deceased and two surviving—were targeted by identity thieves who made large purchases under their names. https://t.co/UEN8IzzE5d

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) September 8, 2021

Identity thieves had struck, investigators soon learned, using Ana Ortiz’s name to make a slew of purchases — included a $374 pair of Medusa sandals, a Versace purse valued at nearly $1,700 and hundreds at Target https://t.co/7mm713r07r

— David Ovalle (@DavidOvalle305) September 8, 2021

Police have made three arrests after the identities of some of the victims of the Surfside collapse were stolen. https://t.co/eNHDvkf4JG

— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) September 8, 2021

#JUST #IN @NBC6 Miami Dade’s mayor on arrests in identity theft cases that targeted victims of #Surfside condo collapse MORE: https://t.co/e9xokWQvwM via @NBC6 pic.twitter.com/bqnGNGOht4

— Carlos Suarez (@CarlosNBC6) September 8, 2021