High-end car hustle crashes as couple accused of flipping luxury rides with bogus titles
A Florida husband and wife are facing a slew of criminal charges stemming from an alleged title fraud scheme involving luxury vehicles being sold by their self-owned car dealership.
Michael Anthony Lucci, 32, and Emily Marie Lucci, 30, are charged with nine counts of making a false statement in an application for a bill of sale, nine counts of possessing counterfeit vehicle title or registration, nine counts of perjury by false written declaration, nine counts of uttering forged instruments, one count of racketeering and one count of organized fraud, according to jail records obtained by Fox News Digital.
The married couple was arrested after Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) launched an investigation into their self-owned business, Luxury Auto Source in Davie on Jan. 21, NBC 6 reported.
According to reports obtained by the outlet, FHP initially began looking into the couple’s business after they allegedly submitted fraudulent parts invoices to the department for a 2020 Nissan GT-R.
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The documentation reportedly submitted by Emily Lucci at a tag agency in nearby Miami-Dade indicated that the business was looking to obtain a certificate of title, while including a parts invoice that claimed over $18,000 in repairs to multiple major components of the vehicle.
However, authorities allege the invoice was fake, with the real invoice totaling around $1,200, the outlet reported. Additionally, the vehicle had reportedly been listed for sale for $94,500 – a nearly $40,000 increase from its 2022 sale for $55,000.
Following the alleged fraudulent invoice, FHP investigators began looking into additional vehicles listed for sale by the couple’s business.
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Authorities ultimately found eight other luxury vehicles that had rebuilt Florida titles and fraudulent invoices, according to the outlet.
The list of vehicles reportedly included a 2017 Bentley with a price of $63,900, a 2018 BMW M3 for sale for $37,900, a 2022 Porsche 911 with a price of $187,900, a 2020 Toyota Supra with a price of $36,900, a 2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat for $52,900, and a 2023 Cadillac Escalade.
The Dodge Charger allegedly possessed multiple VINs and the motor was traced back to a vehicle stolen out of North Carolina, the outlet reported.
"At the conclusion of my review, I identified nine vehicles currently offered for sale by Luxury Auto Source LLC that were titled through the submission of fraudulent or manipulated parts invoices to DHSMV," an investigator reportedly wrote in the arrest reports.
"These vehicles constitute contraband, as their titles were obtained through fraudulent means. These vehicles, and potentially additional vehicles sold through this dealership, present a significant risk to innocent purchasers, who may unknowingly buy vehicles subject to seizure and forfeiture, resulting in both the loss of the vehicle and associated funds due to their status as contraband."
Michael Lucci was reportedly taken into custody as FHP officers executed a search warrant at the business, with Emily Lucci later turning herself in to authorities.
The pair were released after both were granted $30,000 bonds, according to jail records obtained by Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate an attorney representing both Emily and Michael Lucci. FHP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.