Legislation enforcement officers in Miami have arrested a person accused of scamming at the least 11 folks out of $179,800 in money. Carlos Ravelo, the 51-year-old suspect, allegedly took benefit of positions within the finance division of a Honda dealership to prepare the crimes.
It feels like the identical rip-off was pulled a number of occasions. Olga Tellez, a sufferer, instructed native information channel NBC6 Miami that she visited the AutoNation Honda retailer in Miami Lakes in December 2022 to buy a car. Ravelo labored there on the time, and Tellez stated he supplied to promote her and her husband a 2019 Honda CR-V for $12,000 — in the event that they paid in money. That is far beneath the crossover’s market worth and one heck of a deal.
“He allow us to trip within the automotive, he gave me the VIN, the receipt, making it appear to be the whole lot was legit,” she instructed the outlet.
The couple withdrew the cash, paid for the CR-V, and returned to the dealership the next day to choose it up as instructed however was instructed that it wasn’t out there. Tellez by no means bought her automotive, and she or he’s not the one one. Native newspaper the Miami Herald reports that one other buyer gave Ravelo $32,000 in money in two installments to pay for an unspecified automotive and wasn’t capable of choose it up as meant. Ravelo “gave her an excuse as to why she could not take the automobile on the day of the ultimate cost. After a number of weeks, [he] stopped selecting up the sufferer’s cellphone calls, and the sufferer demanded her a reimbursement,” in line with a police report. She was instructed that he now not labored on the dealership.
Ravelo allegedly pocketed $179,800 in money. Police stated one buyer gave him $50,000 in money. A few of the victims knew him or had ties to him and his household, which made the rip-off straightforward to arrange, whereas others obtained a private test whereas they waited to take supply of their subsequent automotive. The test bounced when deposited.
Police arrested Ravelo on Could 1 and took him to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Middle the place he’s awaiting trial. He’s charged with eight counts of third-degree grand theft, two counts of second-degree grand theft from $20,000 to $100,000, 4 counts of nugatory test given, one depend of theft from an aged particular person from $10,000 to $50,000, and one depend of organized scheme to defraud, in line with the Herald. His bond has been set at $45,000, however he should show that the cash comes from official sources.
Miami-Dade police have recognized 11 victims however imagine there could also be extra. Police are asking anybody who thinks they’ve been scammed by Ravelo or one other used-car gross sales particular person to contact them at 305-994-1000. AutoNation is cooperating with the investigation, NBC6 realized.
