MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies have been investigating fraud rings that involve finance managers at car dealerships, records show.

M-DSO deputies with the organized crimes bureau’s auto crimes task force described how the frauds also involve “brokers who act as recruiters” and “straw buyers” who risk it all.

The scam hurts auto dealers, lenders, and “everyday consumers, as the general public pays higher prices on automobiles and automobile loans due to the losses incurred during the fraudulent activity,” a deputy wrote, according to an arrest report.

In a recent case, deputies identified a suspect involved in more than $1.5 million in fraudulent loans: Deinier Dominguez, the financial manager at Bomnin Chevrolet from Feb. 25, 2020, to March 4, and at Hgreg Nissan from March 10 to Jan. 22.

“A finance manager will often circumvent dealership lending guidelines in violation of dealership and lending institution contracts to obtain approval of these automotive loans that would not otherwise meet minimum standards,” a deputy wrote, according to an arrest report.

Deputies also identified Dagma Cecilia Reyes Jaime as the broker and 11 straw buyers, according to arrest reports.

“Auto brokers act as recruiters, connecting the finance manager to individuals willing to lend their credit, identities, and selves in exchange for compensation by the auto broker,” a deputy wrote, according to an arrest report.

Deputies identified Jorge Pinochet, Carlos Alvarez Quilez, Carlos Mesa Reyes, Juan Campos, Ariel Campos, Juan Belledonne, Jeremiah Mareno, Dyontre Crum-Ewing, Carl Mathew III, Thomas McKinney, and Yenly Landa Padron as straw buyers.

“The auto broker expedites deals where straw buyers are only tasked with signing loan documents, as auto brokers themselves then take physical possession of the vehicles,” a deputy wrote.

FATHER AND SON

Juan Campos, 85, purchased six cars, including two Corvettes and a Lexus GX, at Bomnin Chevrolet from Dec. 22, 2024, to Dec. 28, 2024, according to deputies.

Dominguez, 39, allegedly helped Campos, 85, use “fraudulent application information” to get nearly $435,800 in loan approvals from different lenders, according to deputies.

His son, Ariel Campos, 34, said that after a broker recruited him, he went with his father to Bomin Chevrolet, according to deputies.

“These criminal organizations ... use nominal amounts of currency to distribute cash to straw buyers, provide down payments at dealerships ... and share in illegal proceeds,” a deputy wrote, according to arrest reports.

SCAM: ‘CREDIT BUST OUT’

Mesa Reyes, 43, “willingly financed multiple vehicles for the purposes of renting them privately with the help” of a broker who told him to meet with Dominguez at Bomnin Chevrolet, according to deputies.

“A credit bust out occurs when an individual uses available personal, business, or synthetic credit to obtain a loan ... with the intent to default on the payments to the lender,” a deputy wrote.

Mesa Reyes “signed prefilled loan documents” with Dominguez to borrow nearly $539,000 from Jan. 8, 2025, to Jan. 16, 2025, according to deputies.

The broker paid Mesa $15,200 to cover the first monthly payments before cutting him off, according to deputies.

“Before the first payment is due, the vehicle is transferred to another owner ... Vehicles in these files were discovered to be at ports of call ... in the process of being exported or for sale in other states at different dealerships,” a deputy wrote, according to a report.

SCAM: ‘TITLE WASH’

Mesa Reyes was involved in the purchase of a 2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 with a Florida title that had an active lien.

“A query of each vehicle revealed some vehicles to be out of state and title-washed,” a deputy wrote. “The fraudulent practice of removing a lien from a vehicle without the approval of the lien holder is called lien washing and or title washing.”

Deputies found the Mercedes-Benz had a Florida title, but after the broker took it, it had a New Jersey title, according to a report.

“This is the illegal practice of fraudulently removing a lien from a vehicle’s title to deprive the lien holder of their financial interest in the vehicle,” a deputy wrote. “These vehicles are then given a new title from another state, thus cancelling the Florida title and its subsequent lien from the lender.”

The scammer can then “benefit from the sales or exportation of these vehicles as they have no financial encumbrance on title and profits,” according to deputies.

STRAW BUYER’S PROBLEMS

Belledonne, 60, a mechanic, identified Reyes Jaime as the broker who recruited him to sign loan disclosures and application documents at car dealerships in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, according to deputies.

Belledone said Reyes Jaime said she would rent out the 11 cars on their behalf, compensate him with “a monthly stipend,” and pay the car loans, according to deputies.

“He stated he was left with unsatisfied vehicle loans, open traffic citations that were associated from his vehicles, open toll violations, and fraudulent accident insurance claims that were done on his behalf,” a deputy wrote, according to an arrest report.

DOMINGUEZ AND REYES JAIME

Deputies arrested Reyes Jaime at 5:40 a.m. on Wednesday at Tamiami Trail and Southwest 103 Place in Miami-Dade’s University Park neighborhood, and corrections booked her shortly after 4:20 p.m. at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, records show.

Deputies arrested Dominguez at 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday at Southwest 220 Street and 97 Place in Miami-Dade’s Cutler Bay area, and corrections booked him shortly after 4:25 p.m. at TGKCC, records show.

Dominguez faced 79 charges: 25 counts of grand theft, 25 counts of obtaining a vehicle by trick, 25 counts of obtaining property by false statement of credit, criminal solicitation, organized fraud, racketeering, and money laundering.

Reyes Jaime faced 10 charges: Organized fraud, grand theft vehicle, three counts of uttering forged instruments, forging bills or promissory notes, obtaining a vehicle by trick, racketeering, money laundering, criminal solicitation, and obtaining property by false statement of credit.

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