Fired automotive salesman accused of defrauding dealership, dozens of residents in metro Detroit

Dozens of metro Detroit residents had been allegedly ripped off by a former salesman at Dick Scott Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram who was fired by the Plymouth dealership for siphoning tens of hundreds of {dollars} from it, police say.

Ricardo Perez was arrested by Lincoln Park police on Tuesday at his house in Taylor, the place detectives and undercover brokers discovered him in a stolen automotive, Lincoln Park Police Chief Ray Watters advised Crain’s Detroit Enterprise, an affiliate of Automotive Information.

The 38-year-old’s arrest was first reported by Fox 2 Detroit. He was arraigned Thursday in 25th District Courtroom on two felony fees for fraud, however that is not even the half of it, in accordance with police.

“I actually do really feel dangerous for the victims as a result of that they had numerous belief in someone,” Watters stated. “They obtained scammed. I’ve by no means seen something fairly like this.”

Watters stated he is aware of of at the least 30 victims, and Perez faces felony fees all through the Detroit suburbs, together with Allen Park, Southgate, Taylor, Macomb and Plymouth, the place he’s accused of defrauding his former employer.

“He took benefit of us. He took benefit of the shoppers,” stated Jason Scott, normal supervisor at Dick Scott. “He is a foul man. We fired him.”

Scott stated that Perez labored on the dealership for seven years earlier than he was terminated July 30 when managers discovered he had defrauded the enterprise out of tens of hundreds of {dollars}. Scott declined to supply additional particulars because the investigation is ongoing. He deferred to police in Plymouth, the place he faces 4 felony counts.

Crain’s left a message on the desk line of Lt. Jamie Grabowski, who’s dealing with the investigation in Plymouth.

However it’s what occurred after the dealership fired him that put Perez on the radar of police departments all through the area.

“I am unsure if we’re achieved discovering what we had been looking for,” Scott stated. “We thought we had a deal with on what he had achieved to us, however what he is been arrested for now might be going to have us take one other look.”

In line with police, after Perez was fired, he pretended that he nonetheless labored for the dealership and supplied engaging offers for trade-ins and automobile leases. He would meet with victims in parking tons to conduct offers, convincing them the open-air assembly was to guard towards COVID-19.

His hustle hit all types of angles, Watters stated. Victims would give him their automobiles, considering they had been returning it to the dealership, and Perez would allegedly steal it and promote it. In some circumstances, he would hold the automobile as a “rental” to make use of whereas scamming others, Watters stated.

In a single technique, Perez would allegedly signal victims on to a lease for a brand new automobile however lie about the price to lure them into it.

“More often than not, he would take their down funds, a heavy down cost, and inform them there was no cost wanted for 3 months when actually there have been funds wanted instantly,” Watters stated. “What they thought was like a $500 a month cost on their truck was really nearer to $800, and the automobile they traded in was by no means traded in. So, then they discover out, not solely are they three months behind on their new truck, however they’re additionally behind on funds for the automobile they thought they turned in.”

Perez would even go to dealerships and signal leases on behalf of victims, police stated.

“Sooner or later, he should have been an honest salesman as a result of he had fairly a following,” Watters stated. “Folks assumed he was nonetheless working as a salesman for this dealership.”

Watters stated Perez’s automotive theft operation probably began just a few months in the past. The home of playing cards fell when the collectors started calling.

“They’re considering I am good for 3 months, after which a pair months go by they usually’re getting contacted by collectors, saying ‘Hey, you already know, you have not paid a cost on this, and should you do not, we will repo the automotive,'” Watters stated.

Complaints from victims began rolling into the police division at first of March. Watters stated most of the victims most likely will not get well losses and might be left solely with the lesson that “if the deal sounds too good to be true it most likely is just too good to be true.”

At Dick Scott, managers are simply hoping to place the episode prior to now and defend the dealership’s model, Scott stated.

“We have prospects which might be calling and have issues, and we’re coping with them one by one,” he stated. “We have had an excellent popularity all through the years, and I do not assume that is going to be a great factor clearly. It may damage our popularity quick time period, however we’re a great seller. We do issues the correct manner.”

As for Perez, he is being held on bond as fees towards him rack up.

“He’ll be bopping round from jurisdiction to jurisdiction most likely for just a few weeks I might think about,” Watters stated.