Tampa Auto Dealer Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud Scheme and Attempted Export of Stolen Luxury Vehicle

A Tampa auto dealer has been sentenced to federal prison after orchestrating a fraudulent auto financing scheme involving falsified loan applications, straw purchasers, and the attempted export of a stolen luxury vehicle.

Mohamad Jihad Fakih, 27, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington to 54 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and attempting to export a stolen motor vehicle.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered forfeiture of $378,886.96, representing proceeds obtained through the fraudulent scheme.

Fakih was found guilty on August 21, 2025, following a federal prosecution brought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Fraudulent Auto Financing Scheme

According to court records, Fakih used his role as a car dealer and wholesaler to gain access to dealership financing systems that allow auto dealers to submit loan applications directly to vehicle financing companies.

Prosecutors stated that Fakih and his co-conspirators recruited straw purchasers—individuals who agreed to submit loan applications under their names—to obtain financing for vehicles that did not actually exist.

Fraudulent loan applications were submitted to automotive financing companies falsely representing that the straw purchaser was buying a vehicle from Fakih’s dealership.

Once financing companies approved the loans, the funds were disbursed to Fakih as the supposed vehicle seller.

Investigators determined that after the loans were funded, the proceeds were split among Fakih, his co-conspirator, and the straw purchasers involved in the scheme.

False Insurance Claims

Federal prosecutors also established that Fakih attempted to maximize the profits of the scheme by filing false insurance claims.

In some cases, vehicles connected to fraudulent financing transactions were reported as stolen, allowing conspirators to pursue insurance payouts in addition to the initial financing proceeds.

Investigators determined the fraud scheme involved at least six vehicles, generating approximately $372,000 in fraudulent loan proceeds.

Attempted Export of Stolen Rolls-Royce

The case also involved a separate attempt to export a stolen luxury vehicle overseas.

According to court filings, Fakih used one of the straw purchasers to obtain a stolen Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV, a luxury vehicle with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price estimated at approximately $460,000.

Fakih arranged for the vehicle to be loaded into a shipping container and exported through the Port of Savannah.

To avoid detection by authorities, the shipping container’s manifest was falsified so the vehicle would not be identified during inspection.

However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted the shipment before the vehicle could leave the United States and seized the container.

Financial Crime and Vehicle Export Investigations

Vehicle export fraud cases frequently involve coordinated efforts between financial institutions, insurance companies, and federal law enforcement agencies. Criminal networks sometimes exploit dealership financing systems and international shipping channels to conceal stolen vehicles or vehicles purchased through fraud.

Investigators say luxury vehicles are often targeted for overseas export because they can command significantly higher resale prices in foreign markets.

Investigation and Prosecution

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which sometimes assists in complex financial crime investigations that intersect with international networks, organized criminal activity, or overseas export routes.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.

Federal authorities emphasized that fraud schemes targeting financial institutions and international shipping channels remain a major enforcement priority due to the scale of financial losses they can generate.

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

🔥 NOW AVAILABLE! 🔥

‎👉 Eclipsera – Apple Music

---

---

---

---

---