MIAMI — Last month, a self-described Texas minister claimed members of his church owned six units at the Surfside condominium building that collapsed and that they had died in the tragedy. He wanted to collect $3.1 million in damages for their loss.

But the pastor of Baptist Faith Church in Dallas didn’t even show up for a critical Miami-Dade court hearing Wednesday on his claim, noting he could not attend because he “underwent life-threatening surgery.”

“He’s on life support,” a church representative emailed a court-appointed attorney, who has been coordinating the damage claims for the Champlain Towers South class-action case brought by the relatives of 98 people who died in the collapse last year. “Other pastors are on a tight schedule. … If the court wishes to disallow or deny the [church’s] legal settlement, go ahead. … You don’t need to reply.”

In short order Wednesday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman rejected the church’s damage claim — along with more than 450 others — after the attorney processing them found they were “fraudulent” and recommended that the judge toss them out.

Hanzman inquired if any of the claimants were in court to show proof, such as documents, to back up their damage request. No one responded, so he issued his rejection immediately. Adding a bit of intrigue to the brief hearing was the presence of a Miami-Dade County police squad, which was on hand in case any of the dubious claimants seeking damages actually showed up in court and...

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