🌱 Miami Gardens Class-Action Lawsuit + South Florida Pastor Arrested

Hey, Miami! I'm here in your inbox this morning to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on in town. In today's issue, we have these stories and more:

• A Florida pastor from Lauderhill is facing criminal charges after allegedly defrauding a church of over $600,000 to purchase illegal drugs
• The CEO of cryptocurrency ATM company, Bitcoin America, in Miami Beach is being accused by authorities of conspiracy, money laundering, and other charges
• A class-action lawsuit is underway after South Florida residents were left homeless by a fire

But first, today's weather: Mostly cloudy and windy. High: 85 Low: 74.

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Here are the top stories today in Miami:

1. A Florida pastor from Lauderhill is facing criminal charges after allegedly defrauding a Pompano Beach church of hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase illegal drugs. Police discovered heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and a stolen gun when they arrested the pastor. The church he allegedly defrauded is New Jerusalem Baptist Church. (Miami Patch)
2. The CEO of a cryptocurrency ATM company Bitcoin America, Sonny Meraban, in Miami Beach has been arrested and is being accused by authorities in Ohio of conspiracy, money laundering and other charges. He faces five dozen charges for various counts including conspiracy, money laundering, receiving stolen property as well as over 30 counts of license requirement violations in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. (NBC Miami)
3. A murder-suicide investigation involving a child is now underway in Coconut Grove. Authorities were called to the Grove at Grand Bay Condominium Association located at 2669 S. Bayshore Drive. Police discovered a 53-year-old male and the 3-year-old child dead, shot and killed at the scene. (WSVN)
4. A class-action lawsuit has been filed after residents in Miami Gardens were left homeless after a fire. The cause of the fire is not clear at this time. The incident happened at New World Condominium Apartments in January. The condo association, the board of directors and the property management company are named in the suit. (WPLG Local 10)
5. Master Brewer Academy is a South Florida business in Miami showing people how to start their own beer business. The program is led by Founder and Director of Education Todd Space, MBA. Their professional brewer training program lasts 11 months and includes nights and weekends. However, Master Brewer Academy also offer online classes, one-time courses, and field trips for enthusiasts. (WSVN)

Today in Miami:

• Bike305 — Bike To Work Day 2023 at Village of Palmetto Bay Village. (7 a.m.)
• AARP Tax Assistance at West Dade Regional Library. (9:30 a.m.)
• Knitting Club For Adults at West Kendall Regional Library. (10:30 a.m.)
• FinTech Friday: DeFi & Drinks Food Fest Happy Hour at Habitat 1 Hotel. (5 p.m.)
• Food Trucks Fridays Fiesta Tropical Park. (5 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Miami-Dade Fire Rescue shared: "On Thursday, Miami International Airport Station 59 Lt. Darryl Sevalia became the final member of Recruit Class 70 to join the ranks of the retired. His career of three decades now behind him, Darryl received his 30-year plaque from Chief Chad Hooten on his retirement shift as fellow firefighters and Aviation Division Staff looked on. The entire Miami-Dade Fire Rescue family wishes Darryl a long and healthy retirement." (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue via Facebook)
• Miami-Dade Parks shared: "🗣 Calling all soccer players! Join us for our 5v5 Soccer Tournament ⚽️🏆 on March 11 at Ruben Dario Park. Registration is FREE and all ages (6+) are welcome to compete. See you there." (Miami-Dade Parks via Facebook)
• Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce shared: "Are you looking to connect with Florida's rapidly growing population? Join the Miami Beach Chamber. It has never been more important for businesses to get involved in their local communities." (Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Fountain of Youth '23 ft. Brian Newman at Carousel Club at Gulfstream Park (March 4)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (March 6)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you soon.

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Miami Patch newsletter? Contact me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com