Tesla Scammed: Man Acquires 5 Complimentary Vehicles, Ignites One on Water

author: FutureCar Staff    

A man named Michael Gonzalez, aged 34, has been sentenced to four years in prison for tricking Tesla into giving him five electric vehicles without making full payment, according to the US Department of Justice. Gonzalez managed to obtain five brand new EVs from Tesla, worth over $560,000 in total, and later resold three of them for about $231,900 to unsuspecting buyers. The vehicles included a 2018 Model 3 and four Model X EVs.

Gonzalez went to great lengths to deceive Tesla. When he couldn't resell one of the EVs because he didn't have a certificate of ownership, he allegedly drove it onto a frozen lake, set it on fire, and filed an insurance claim, falsely stating that he had taken the vehicle ice fishing at night. The claim was ultimately denied. He also manipulated Tesla's payment system by providing banking information with insufficient funds, using different names to order the Teslas, including the names of an ex-girlfriend and a woman he fathered a child with. Gonzalez even submitted false statements to the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain the titles to the cars.

Despite Tesla hiring a company to repossess one of the Model Xs, Gonzalez managed to evade them and hide the car in a storage unit. He pleaded guilty to five charges related to possessing and disposing of stolen vehicles and was sentenced to four years in prison. In addition, he has been ordered to pay Tesla approximately $493,000 and another $231,900 to the government. Gonzalez has a history of legal trouble, including allegations of lying on a federal firearms application and aggravated assault with a weapon.

Neither Tesla nor the US Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont, nor Gonzalez's lawyer, have responded to requests for comment. However, Gonzalez's lawyer stated that he has taken full responsibility for his actions.

FutureCar Staff