MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. Fla. — A 27-year-old Miami-Dade woman is accused of orchestrating a fraud scheme that investigators say netted her more than a half-million dollars in luxury vehicles, watercraft and SUVs.
The suspect, identified by deputies as Katherine Suarez, was arrested Tuesday by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office following a months-long investigation by the agency’s Auto Theft Crimes Task Force, authorities confirmed in an arrest report Wednesday.
Detectives say Suarez engaged in what’s known in the auto finance industry as a “credit bust-out.”
Investigators allege that between October and November 2024, Suarez financed several high-value vehicles from multiple dealerships in Miami-Dade County using falsified employment and income information before the purchases could appear on her credit report.
Among the dealerships targeted was Kendall Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, located at 13355 SW 137th Ave., where Suarez is accused of obtaining a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon and a Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, according to the report.
Investigators said she also secured luxury models, including a Mercedes E-Class sedan, a BMW X7 and a Mercedes-Benz GLE, as well as two Yamaha WaveRunners.
In total, detectives listed more than $512,000 in fraudulently obtained vehicles and watercrafts, the report stated.
Authorities say such schemes often involve reselling or renting the vehicles on the black market, or using “title washing” practices to illegally remove liens from vehicle titles.
Detectives said Suarez was read her Miranda rights and agreed to speak with investigators, though portions of her statement were redacted in the publicly-released report.
Jail records show Suarez is facing two counts of first-degree grand theft of less than $100,000, four counts of second-degree grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000, two counts of third-degree grand theft, and eight counts each of obtaining a vehicle by trick and illegally obtaining property through credit with a false statement.
As of Wednesday, she was being held on a $29,000 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
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