Judge invalidates bogus claims in Florida building collapse

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

Hundreds of bogus claims that sought a share of the $1.1 billion settlement in the deadly collapse of a Florida condominium building have been ruled as invalid by a judge. More than 450 presumably false claims were filed in the court settlement arising from the June 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in which 98 people died. Most of the false claims were seeking about $50,000. During a brief hearing Wednesday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman said none of the bogus claimants showed up to provide evidence under oath so they will be struck from the list of settlement beneficiaries.