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4th person accused of stealing IDs from Surfside victims

Surfside
Posted at 9:08 AM, Sep 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-10 10:08:49-04

MIAMI (AP) — Authorities say a fourth person has been accused of stealing the identities of victims in the South Florida condominium collapse that killed 98 people.

Twenty-year-old Nelson Ronaldo Garcia-Medina was arrested on Wednesday.

But his name was not included when the Miami-Dade state attorney announced three arrests in the case.

He's accused of using a stolen identity to buy a pair of $120 Air Jordan sneakers.

He's the brother of 30-year-old Betsy Alejandra Cacho-Medina, who was arrested on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Also arrested were 34-year-old Kimberly Michelle Johnson and 38-year-old Rodney Choute, 38.

They each face 15 to 30 years in prison.

Authorities were first notified by a sister of one of the deceased victims on July 9, after she noticed the passwords of the victim's bank accounts and credits cards had been changed, the AP reported.

According to USA Today, the suspects allegedly attempted to steal an additional $67,000.

Ninty-eight people died when a condo in Surfside, Florida, collapsed on June 24.