Overview
- U.S. authorities charged five men from Mendoza with an organized scheme to defraud and multiple counts of shoplifting at Miami’s Dolphin Mall.
- Police reports and security footage cited by Sweetwater authorities describe suitcases taken from Burlington and later used to conceal items from other stores, with goods recovered valued at more than US$2,000.
- The accused say all items were paid for, claim some receipts were discarded after cash purchases, and attribute the incident to an alarm trigger and a language barrier during the police intervention.
- All five posted roughly US$4,000–4,500 in bail, returned to Argentina, and assert they were not deported, according to their statements and their Argentine lawyer Roberto Castillo.
- Defense representatives say they will handle the January 29 proceeding with U.S. counsel, identified in reports as Nayib Hassan, as prosecutors continue reviewing video evidence and outline possible criminal, civil and immigration consequences.