JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In February, a man received a call from someone with whom he had bought and flipped cars with for years, seeking to do more business and continue their profitable relationship.
RELATED: FBI investigating Jacksonville exotic car dealer accused of defrauding customers out of millions
Recommended Videos
But four months later, he told police that he lost over $500,000 and is worried that the man who called him that day in February may leave the country with his money.
The accusation is part of a growing fraud investigation tied to a Jacksonville dealership owned by Vladimir Ranguelov that customers say left them with millions of dollars in losses. The FBI is now involved in the investigation.
According to a report filed with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) this month, Peter Nassar received a call from Ranguelov on Feb. 15 to inquire about purchasing a blue McLaren 720S, an exotic car that carries a price tag bigger than some homes in Duval County.
Nassar told JSO he wired $260,000 to Ranguelov and he received his McLaren.
There was just one problem, he told police. The vehicle was never registered in Nassar’s name, which is something he found out during a trip to the DMV after driving around in the supercar for over three months.
However, before the absence of his name on the registration became known, Nassar said he was told by Ranguelov that he had arranged for the McLaren to be purchased by another buyer and asked Nassar to drop the car off.
Nassar dropped the McLaren at an agreed-upon location, but said he was shocked when he arrived and was greeted by Ranguelov without a potential buyer present.
That’s when he started to “get the run around” from Ranguelov, who, according to police, “kept coming up with excuses like ‘the financing fell through.’”
Nassar told investigators that he continued to receive the run-around through May and into June, when Ranguelov approached him with another opportunity to buy and flip another expensive car, this time a Rolls-Royce, which can reach prices upward of $300,000.
The police report said that Nassar, under the impression that his McLaren was in the process of being sold, agreed to buy and flip the Rolls-Royce, but only if Ranguelov would sign a promissory note agreeing to repay the loan.
After wiring over $300,000 for the Rolls-Royce, Nassar told police he now wants his money back and is worried that Ranguelov may flee the country with his $560,000.
Since the allegations from Nassar and others began emerging, Karma Automotive has suspended its relationship with Ranguelov and Bul Auto, citing concerns over the mounting accusations.
The dealership, which also had a location in Albany, New York, is also under scrutiny after a customer, Michael Abatecola, said he is owed $250,000 for a Lamborghini he never received.
“He got $100,000 selling one car two times,” Abatecola said. “Neither one of us has it.”
The accusations are coupled with further claims that the car dealer made a deal with another person to sell his 1994 Porsche 911 on the website, “Bring a Trailer,” for about $155,000. The seller told investigators he does not know who bought the car, but the website lists the buyer as “J.H. Holiday.”
Further police investigation was unable to locate anyone in the area with that name.
Additionally, on June 5, five more vehicles were brought into the fold when a tow truck operator verified repossession orders with police for an Audi A5, Infiniti QX60 SUV, Maserati Levante, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Audi E-Tron on the exotic dealer’s lot.
