Man Accused Of Scamming Car Owners, Dealers

An Orange County man was arrested Friday for an elaborate scheme involving high-end cars. Deputies say he scammed car owners and dealerships out of nearly $1 million by acting as a car consultant.

Investigators say the scheme was very complicated. Cops believe the fraud was all an attempt to pay off debts to car dealerships, including Taddei Auto Sales, which is now out of business and suing the suspect.

“Were there ever any actual cars involved here? Were you planning to provide these cars?” WFTV reporter Steve Barrett asked accused scammer Carlos Kirigin as he was taken into custody Friday.

"BMW,” he said.

“So were you planning to sell them?” Barrett asked.

“No, no, no, I'm just telling you that's the best car in the world,” he replied.

Kirigin was a salesman to the end, pitching one of the high-end brands involved in his high-end scheme. Investigators say the former Fields BMW salesman would convince buyers to hand over cash for him to find their dream car and then Kirigin would use the cash to get himself out of financial trouble.

“The monies that were collected from victims were converted into cashiers checks to pay a third party a debt that he had with them,” explained Det. William Cruz, Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The arrest report says Kirigin would then funnel the money back to both Fields BMW and the now out of business Taddei Auto Sales, but neither dealership knew the money was part of an alleged Ponzi-style scheme.

Fields’ BMW did not disclose how much money they lost.

“Where'd the money go? What'd you use the money for? You won't answer that question, huh?” Barrett pressed Kirigin.

But Kirigin clammed up in front of Eyewitness News cameras Friday. Cops say he admitted plenty to them.

“I would hope that he's taking this seriously, because it's a very, very serious crime,” Cruz said.

In one case, Kirigan is accused of actually taking a $240,000 Ferrari from an owner to show to clients, then getting a fraudulent title and selling the car right out from under its owner.

Rubens Taddei is one of the victims. He owned a car lot for 18 years and it's broke because of the scheme.

“I have no idea what he's done with the money, nobody knows,” Rubens Taddei said. “It's ruined my business, it's ruined my life, and I’ve been banned from the car business. The DMV revoked my license. My house is going in foreclosure. I have to file for bankruptcy. I'm done.”

Kirigin faces felony fraud and grand theft charges.