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Tarpon Springs Car Dealer Accused of Fraud

Wassim Rouh Nasr | Tarpon Springs Police | Crime

Tarpon Springs police said they are investigating other complaints about the car dealership.

TARPON SPRINGS – The owner of a car dealership has been accused of fraud in connection with the sale of a 1965 Ford Cobra Mustang that was on consignment, the Tarpon Springs Police Department said.

Wassim “Peter” Rouh Nasr, 50, of Tarpon Springs, was charged with one count of fraud involving a security interest. He is the owner of Exotic Motorcars, 41041 U.S. 19 N in Tarpon Springs. Officers said they are also investigating the dealership in connection with allegations concerning the issuance of multiple worthless checks and possible title fraud. The police department has been helped in its investigation by the Bureau of Dealers Services.

Police said the owner of the 1965 Ford Cobra Mustang put the car on consignment at the dealership on May 8. The dealership agreed to sell the vehicle for $57,000.

On May 19, the dealership sold the car to an overseas buyer for $57,000, police said, but the dealership concealed the sale of the vehicle from the owner and continued to actively communicate with the owner throughout May and into June implying that the car hadn’t yet been sold.

The owner discovered his Mustang was in the process of being sold when he arrived at the dealership at the end of June and saw it was no longer on the property. The owner was convinced by Wassim that he needed to accept the prospective purchaser’s offer of $52,000 dollars because no other higher offers had been made.

The dealership wrote the car’s owner a check for $52,000 on July 6. The check bounced because of insufficient funds, officers said. The dealership provided the owner with another check that cleared.

The owner call Tarpon Springs police about the bounced check and officers began investigating.

Police said they discovered the dealership had deceived the owner into believing his vehicle had only sold for $52,000. In addition to the uncovering of this deception, police said, the investigation revealed a power of attorney and certificate of title had been forged by the dealership in the owner’s name to help sell the car.

Police said they are investigating four other complaints from parties who were issued bounced checks by Exotic Motorcars. The bounced checks that have so far been reported to the police department total more than $185,000.

Anyone who would like to report any similar crimes or have information that could help in the investigation against Exotic Motorcars is asked to contact Detective Lemmon at (727) 938-2849.

Tarpon Springs Police | Crime | Fraud | Exotic Motorcars | Tampabay News | Local News

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