Used car dealership owner and accomplice accused of using elderly woman's identity to finance vehicles, leaving her in financial ruin.
- Elderly Woman Scammed by Hialeah Dealer Owner and Accomplice
- Manhunt for Hialeah Dealer Owner Accused of Identity Theft
- Police Arrest Co-Conspirator in Hialeah Dealership Identity Theft Case
Police arrest one suspect while searching for the owner of a Hialeah dealership accused of identity theft and fraud against a senior citizen.
26-year-old Damian Iglesia-Martinez was apprehended in connection to the Hialeah dealership's alleged identity theft scheme targeting a 73-year-old woman.
According to an arrest report, a used car dealership owner in Hialeah is currently on the run, while his alleged accomplice, Damian Iglesia-Martinez, 26, was apprehended on Monday. The duo stands accused of registering and financing three vehicles in the name of a 73-year-old woman using her identity, which has left her in a state of "financial ruin." The police arrested Iglesia-Martinez at his grandmother's residence on Southwest 18th Street.
The victim had no knowledge of the purchased car involved in a crash
Meanwhile, the investigation, as per the arrest report, has led the police to search for Christopher Landy Mora, the owner of Realeza Motors, which is conveniently located just across from the Hialeah police headquarters at 5612 E. Eighth Ave. The investigation dates back to December when an insurance investigator discovered a crash involving a 2020 Honda Accord that the victim had taken an insurance policy on after purchasing it from Realeza Motors. However, the victim was unaware of the car's existence, the insurance policy, or the individuals in the car at the time of the accident.
The victim, a 73-year-old woman, was not only deceived into having her identity used for the purchase of a 2020 Honda Accord but also for a 2016 Ford Mustang and a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. According to police, the vehicles were registered, insured, and financed in her name without her knowledge or consent. The dealership owner, Christopher Landy Mora, who was also the finance manager, allegedly signed off on all the paperwork, while Damian Iglesia-Martinez, who pretended to be the victim's nephew, was involved in the crash with the fraudulently-purchased Accord.
Loan Paperwork Contained False Information
The loan paperwork falsely claimed that the woman worked at a cell phone store and had an $8,000 monthly income in order to obtain financing, according to police. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, the woman suffered significant emotional and financial damage, including having her Florida driver's license suspended and being sued for the crash. She also received numerous calls from the finance company demanding payment for the vehicles that she never purchased or authorized. The victim's credit was allegedly "ruined" due to the actions of Mora and Iglesia-Martinez, with the amount of fraud totaling more than $108,000, according to police.
Mora Still at Large as Iglesia-Martinez is Held on Bond
Iglesia-Martinez was arrested and faced charges of an organized scheme to defraud, using identification without consent, first-degree grand theft, the scheme to defraud a financial institution, and filing a false motor vehicle insurance application. He was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $40,000 bond. Mora, on the other hand, was still at large at the time of the report, and it is unclear what charges he will face once captured.
Multiple Vehicles Registered and Financed in Victim's Name
According to the arrest report, Iglesia-Martinez and Mora were allegedly involved in a complex scheme that left a 73-year-old woman in financial ruin, having fraudulently registered, insured, and financed multiple vehicles in her name without her knowledge or consent. The loan paperwork falsely claimed that the victim had an $8,000 monthly income, and the fraud totaled more than $108,000. Iglesia-Martinez was involved in a crash with one of the fraudulently-purchased vehicles, and the victim suffered emotional and financial damage, including having her credit ruined and her driver's license suspended. Iglesia-Martinez faced multiple charges, while Mora remains at large and his charges are unclear.
Comments / 3