2 arrested in 25-car, $1.5 million ‘credit bust-out’ fraud in Miami-Dade: Sheriff

A former car dealership financial manager and alleged straw buyer and money mule are facing charges after authorities in Miami-Dade said they uncovered a major “credit bust out” fraud scheme involving more than two dozen vehicles worth more than $1.5 million.

Deinier Dominguez, 39, of Cutler Bay, and 49-year-old Elizabeth Gamez Pardo, of Miami, were arrested Wednesday amid an ongoing investigation by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Auto Crimes Task Force, according to arrest reports.

Dominguez is charged with organized fraud, 25 counts of grand larceny, 25 counts of obtaining a vehicle by trick, 25 counts of obtaining property or credit by false statement, extortion, money laundering and criminal solicitation, records show.

Gamez Pardo is charged with organized fraud, theft of a vehicle, uttering forged instruments, forging notes or promissory notes, obtaining a vehicle by trick, extortion, money laundering, criminal solicitation and obtaining property or credit by false statement.

According to the reports, Dominguez helped implement the credit bust-out scheme while he was a finance manager at Bomnin Chevrolet from 2020 to 2025 and then at HGreg Nissan from 2025 to January 2026.

A “credit crunch” occurs when a person purchases numerous vehicles over a short period of time before they appear on their credit reports, or when a person manipulates their credit history to hide negative activity, authorities said.

The arrested suspect often illegally rents the vehicles on the black market or has the liens washed and titled in other states, or quickly transfers the vehicles to other owners, authorities said.

Investigators discovered that Dominguez had made 25 auto loans under false pretenses, totaling $1,518,701.70, the reports said.

The vehicles included Corvettes, Tahoes, Jeeps, BMWs, Mercedes, a Cadillac, a Lexus, a Land Rover and others, the reports said.

According to the reports, Dominguez used his position as a financial manager to “facilitate breakout schemes for personal gain,” and listed at least a dozen other suspects, including straw buyers, car brokers and recruiters.

One alleged straw buyer, Gamez Pardo, alleged identity theft for a loan opened in her name for a 2024 Mercedes GLE AMG worth $128,000, the reports said.

But investigators discovered a photo of her receiving the keys to the car at the dealership, and discovered that Dominguez was the financial manager who provided the loan for the Mercedes purchase, the reports said.

“In this case, as a financial manager, Mr. Dominguez is directly responsible for $1,518,701.70 in fraudulent auto loan payments,” the reports said.

Dominguez appeared in court Thursday, where a detective said he had been fired from both dealerships.

The detective said investigators were able to recover “a handful” of vehicles.

“He’s the top of the pyramid, he was the finance manager at the dealerships and I think he approved of what appears to be $1.5 million in these fraudulent loans,” a prosecutor said.

The judge granted Dominguez bond, but he will have to prove that the money used to pay the bond was obtained legally.