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Miami-Dade authorities arrested two individuals accused of participating in an automotive fraud scheme that facilitated the irregular acquisition of 25 luxury vehicles valued at a total of $1.5 million, local media and the county's Sheriff’s Office reported on Thursday.
The detainees have been identified as Deinier Domínguez, 39 years old and a resident of Cutler Bay, and Elizabeth Gamez Pardo, 49 years old and a resident of Miami, reported Telemundo 51.
The investigation, led by the Automotive Crimes Task Force, revealed an alleged fraud known as credit bust out, a scheme that involves obtaining multiple loans in a short period of time before the debts appear on credit histories or manipulating those histories to hide negative information.
According to police reports, Domínguez served as the finance manager at Bomnin Chevrolet from 2020 to 2025, and later at HGreg Nissan until January 2026.
From that position, he would have managed 25 loans under false pretenses, using altered documentation and misleading data.
Among the vehicles involved are high-end models such as Corvette, Chevrolet Tahoe, Jeep, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Lexus , and Land Rover.
Authorities report that, following the purchase, the cars were illegally subleased, quickly resold, transferred to third parties, or shipped out of state after removing liens and obtaining new titles.
Domínguez faces charges of organized fraud, 25 counts of grand theft, 25 counts of obtaining a vehicle by deception, 25 counts of obtaining goods or credit through false statements, racketeering, money laundering, and criminal solicitation.
For her part, Gamez Pardo is accused of organized fraud, grand theft of a vehicle, presentation of falsified documents, forgery of financial instruments, obtaining a vehicle through deception, criminal association, money laundering, and fraudulent acquisition of property or credit.
In the case of Gamez Pardo, the investigation documents a fraudulent loan for the purchase of a 2024 Mercedes GLE AMG valued at $128,000. Although the accused claimed identity theft, investigators obtained an image of her receiving the vehicle at the dealership.
During the bail hearing, a prosecutor stated that Domínguez "is at the top of the pyramid" of the scheme and would be directly responsible for the approval of more than $1.5 million in fraudulent loans.
The judge granted him bail, on the condition that he proves the funds used to pay for it come from legitimate sources.
The Miami-Dade sheriff warned that this type of fraud ultimately affects consumers: “When financial institutions lose millions, that cost is passed on to families and small businesses through higher prices and increases in insurance premiums,” she stated in comments reported by local media.
The authorities confirmed that some of the vehicles have already been recovered and indicated that the investigation remains open, which could lead to new arrests in the coming months.
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