3 arrested in South Florida luxury car theft scheme, police say
www.wsvn.com, Kathleen Ditton, Sheldon Fox, Rubén Rosario, January 31, 2025
MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police said they’ve recovered some exotic rides and arrested three men in connection with an organized scheme to steal and resell the high-end vehicles.
According to Miami Beach Police, the ritzy crime ring has resulted in a loss of approximately $300,000.
Forty-one-year-old Yuriy Korotovskyy, 53-year-old Arman Gevorgyan and 43-year-old Hrant Nazarian were taken into custody on charges including grand theft, dealing in stolen property and conspiracy to commit organized fraud.
Miami Beach Police spokesperson Christopher Bess spoke with 7News about the suspects on Friday.
“They present paperwork that seems legitimate, and they go away with the vehicle,” he said.
In court Friday afternoon, the suspects needed help from translators when they faced Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy S. Glazer.
The investigation began on Jan. 22, when police responded to a report of a stolen 2020 Rolls-Royce that was supposed to be transported from Miami Beach to a Michigan auto shop but never arrived.
The owner of the Rolls-Royce, Detroit-area resident Nader Eldamouni, spoke with 7News on Wednesday.
“The car is a $300,000 car, Rolls-Royce, gone,” he said.
According to the arrest report, detectives uncovered a growing trend. It states in part, “Over the past few weeks, detectives have been made aware of a new method on the rise for vehicles being stolen.”
Investigators said the car crooks target dispatchers and transporters, switching up the order destinations. The arrest report states the suspects would “[rerout] the truck drivers unpon them picking up vehicles posted for transport and [rout] them to other locations.”
Police said the fraudulent shipping arrangements involved Armenian and Russian brokers rerouting these deliveries.
A truck driver who cooperated with investigators described unknowingly delivering stolen luxury vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini Urus and an Audi R8 to locations in Hallandale Beach, according to police. Surveillance footage showed suspects following the stolen vehicles.
Detectives on Thursday coordinated a controlled delivery at a location in Aventura, where the suspects reportedly arrived in a Rolls-Royce Cullinan and a Bentley. Police said that Korotovskyy was observed paying $700 for the delivery of an orange Lamborghini Urus, which was later confirmed stolen. Police moved in, arresting all three men at the scene.
Authorities said the suspects worked together to acquire and redistribute stolen vehicles.
Before the theft of Eldamouni’s Rolls, Houston, Texas, resident Steve Phelan told 7News that his Ferrari was also rerouted, in this case winding up in Miami.
Both Eldamouni and Phelan alerted 7News to the crimes after seeing previous stories on similar capers going back to last summer.
Police said they’re working to arrest more bad motor actors and gave a piece of advice to car owners who are having their vehicles shipped to them.
“Either utilize a GPS tracking system, call the dealer, ask them to have a tracking mechanism inside the vehicle, and just do your very best to ensure that your assets are protected,” said Bess.
As of Friday night, Miami Beach Police said, they have not recovered Eldamouni’s Rolls-Royce.
News Article: https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/3-arrested-in-south-florida-luxury-car-theft-scheme-police-say/