Compliance Enforcement officers from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) have apprehended three Las Vegas men in connection with a suspected scam involving illegal lien sales of vehicles. The five vehicles implicated in the case are valued at over $328,000 and include two exotic cars.
"Falsifying title documents and fraudulently obtaining ownership of a vehicle through a lien sale is the same as stealing it,” stated J.D. Decker, Chief of the DMV Compliance Enforcement Division (CED). Under a lien sale, licensed body shops or garages can auction vehicles to recover unpaid repair costs, but they must adhere to strict procedures and sell to third parties.
The three individuals arrested are all residents of Las Vegas. They were taken into custody on March 17 and 18 and are now detained at the Clark County Detention Center. If convicted on the most serious charges, they could face prison sentences ranging from one to 20 years, fines up to $15,000, and restitution.
Yousef Hammoudeh, aged 61, faces charges including two felony counts of obtaining money under false pretenses, two felony counts of attempted obtaining money under false pretenses, and five gross misdemeanor counts for furnishing falsified title documentation to the DMV.
Suleiman Showbaki, aged 36 and owner of S & M Auto Body, has been charged with two felony counts of attempted obtaining money under false pretenses and three gross misdemeanor counts related to falsified title documentation provided to the DMV.
Eric Brambila, aged 46 and owner of Sharp Transmission, is facing charges including two felony counts for obtaining money under false pretenses and two gross misdemeanor counts for providing falsified title documentation to the DMV.
According to CED investigators, Showbaki and Brambila allegedly created fake work orders for repairs before illegally selling five vehicles to Hammoudeh for profit. Fraudulent repair orders were reportedly used in lien sales even though no actual work was performed. Falsified title requests were then submitted to the DMV in an alleged attempt to secure legal ownership for Hammoudeh.
During Hammoudeh's arrest, three additional vehicles were impounded. Investigators discovered these vehicles were being used by Hammoudeh and his family members in Nevada with California dealer license plates obtained through his dealership there.
The DMV Compliance Enforcement Division consists of 29 sworn law enforcement officers along with 14 non-sworn investigators who probe various criminal activities linked to DMV-issued identification documents or motor vehicle transactions. The division also licenses businesses within the motor vehicle industry such as emissions stations and driving schools.
Consumers suspecting fraud or theft related to DMV crimes can file complaints using forms available on the DMV website or contact the division directly at dmvnv.com/ced.htm.
Decker mentioned that their current focus includes targeting motor vehicle businesses that defraud the public via abuse of lien sale processes, illegal street use of special dealer plates, repair shop plates misuse, and Nevada residents unlawfully maintaining out-of-state plates on their vehicles.