TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa auto dealer has been sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and attempting to export a stolen vehicle.
Prosecutors said 27-year-old Mohamad Jihad Fakih used his dealership access to submit falsified loan applications on behalf of straw purchasers, claiming vehicles were being bought when none existed. Loan funds were then disbursed to Fakih, with proceeds shared among conspirators.
The Department of Justice said the scheme, which involved at least six vehicles and $372,000 in fraudulent loans, also included false insurance claims and attempts to export vehicles with active liens. Fakih also tried to export a stolen $460,000 Rolls-Royce Cullinan overseas using falsified shipping documents before it was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Savannah.
The court ordered forfeiture of $372,000 as part of the sentence.
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Florida veteran served in Gulf War loses citizenship fight, fears deportation