MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the arrest of five people allegedly involved in what was called a large-scale organized retail theft fraud scheme.
Miami-Dade residents Maike Acosta De Armas, 47, Lazaro Santiago Acosta De Armas, 45, Yusser Echemendia Rodriguez, 42, Elias Ramos Hernandez, 48, and Honasi Diaz Santos, 47, are all facing multiple felony charges including organized scheme to defraud of $50,000 or more and retail theft of multiple items within thirty days at different physical locations.
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According to the FDLE, an investigation began in July of 2022 and agents eventually identified over 50 separate incidents of theft spanning 13 Florida counties: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Sarasota, St. Lucie, and Volusia.
Per a release from FDLE, “The investigation revealed that the organized theft ring engaged in a systematic scheme to defraud totaling more than $55,000 in losses to the company. The scheme involved abusing the online purse system and stealing items that the suspects claimed to have already purchased online. The suspects also “returned” stolen merchandise to stores in different locations using receipts from online.”
All five suspects remain behind bars in different jails across Miami-Dade and Broward.