Man arrested in connection with elaborate car dealership fraud scheme

A man was arrested in connection with a fraud scheme where he allegedly used fake checks at car dealerships.

Clallam County deputies responded to a report of fraud at Koenig Subaru in Port Angeles on April 11.

A 59-year-old man from Port Angeles allegedly bought a car from the dealership with a $22,000 fraudulent check and wrote two additional checks that were rejected for insufficient funds, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.

On May 19, deputies seized the stolen car from the man’s home in Port Angeles. The man gave the keys to deputies and acknowledged he didn’t pay for the car. Therefore, probable cause for theft of a motor vehicle and forgery was referred to the Clallam County Prosecutor’s Office.

Port Angeles man connected to fraud scheme in California

On October 2, Clallam County authorities were contacted by officers in Fresno, California.

The sheriff’s office learned the man was involved in a fraud scheme where he reportedly convinced car dealerships he was buying cars for a leasing broker business in the car industry. He would then write a check for the car and drive it off the lot before it bounced.

Fresno police said the man has an extraditable warrant out of California for 57 charges of theft, fraud, and perjury.

On October 6, detectives with the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) saw the man at his house in Port Angeles. Port Angeles officers and OPNET detectives subsequently arrested the man as he was leaving his house.

The man was booked into Clallam County Jail for investigation of a fugitive from justice, theft of a motor vehicle, and forgery.

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