A Chinese woman was arrested for attempting to scam the purchase of a $100,000 Tesla car in South Florida. She admitted to the police that she is a member of a systematic fraud organization and mentioned that her accomplices are in China.
According to records from the Miami-Dade Jail, 24-year-old Chuting Chen was arrested on Monday, February 9, on charges including fraudulently scamming U.S. financial institutions as an illegal immigrant, organized fraud, second-degree grand theft, identity theft, and transferring vehicle ownership without registering the purchaser’s name.
The arrest report stated that the Miami Gardens Police responded to a call at the Tesla showroom located at 20850 NW 2nd Avenue in Miami Gardens. The manager reported that Chuting Chen tried to use a fake driver’s license to purchase a $101,630 Tesla Model X, which belonged to an individual with a much higher credit score than hers.
The report further revealed that Chen also presented a bank draft of $18,802.39, claiming it belonged to a company based in Montana that she owned. When questioned by officers, Chen admitted to using a forged identity. She confessed that she had purchased the fake ID online for $100.
The arrest report also indicated that Chen admitted to being a member of a “systematic fraud organization” and disclosed that her associates are currently in China, engaging in activities in California and China.
Florida authorities stated that Chen admitted to opening a bank account in Las Vegas and that the Montana-based company was a shell company. She transferred $38,250 to the company on February 2 as a down payment for the Tesla car.
Upon Chen’s arrest, police found her in possession of 32 California vehicle ownership certificates and 46 vehicle certificates of origin.
“She knowingly intended to falsify vehicle registration information and potentially export the vehicles overseas,” the report stated.
Chen appeared in court on Tuesday, February 10. According to Miami-Dade Jail records, she posted a $20,000 bond and was granted bail.