Fla. Chevy finance manager harmless in id theft situation, legal professional claims

A finance supervisor at a Miami Shores, Fla., dealership has been arrested on suspicion of identification theft right after a girl described showing as a cosigner on a 2016 Porsche Macan devoid of authorization, law enforcement said.

Tropical Chevrolet finance supervisor Sofia Pinedo, 31, said both equally customer Bryce Crawford and his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Umanzor, ended up existing at the dealership for the signing, in accordance to Miami Shores police. Law enforcement claimed the Macan experienced a “finance total” of $53,051.15.

“[Pinedo] recommended the target was current and signed the files in entrance of her,” a Miami Shores investigator wrote in a law enforcement report.

But Umanzor claimed she experienced in no way frequented Tropical Chevrolet, and her employer mentioned she was on the task on Sept. 30, 2021, the day of the transaction in query, police stated. Crawford agreed Umanzor was not present for the offer and said the dealership experienced planned to mail the paperwork to her, according to law enforcement.

Handwriting on the Porsche transaction also failed to match Umanzor’s signature on notarized documents, law enforcement claimed.

Pinedo’s attorney, Michael Gottlieb, of Michael A. Gottlieb P.A., mentioned his client experienced been mistaken about the transaction when she talked to law enforcement. Pinedo couldn’t recall the situations of the signature, in accordance to Gottlieb. He mentioned it occurred at the end of the month on a day she handled 6 bargains and oversaw at the very least 6 other individuals.

“My client’s innocent,” Gottlieb said. “There was under no circumstances any intent on her component to defraud any individual.” He reported she failed to indication Umanzor’s identify.
Tropical Chevrolet had a duplicate of Umanzor’s driver’s license and private details, but Umanzor offered evidence Crawford possessed a copy, law enforcement said. The two applied to dwell alongside one another and have two little ones together, and Umanzor had delivered him with private details right before, law enforcement claimed.

“We have not too long ago learned of an alleged falsified identification utilised in the buy of a auto a number of months in the past from our dealership. We are cooperating with authorities absolutely and conducting our very own investigation,” Tropical Chevrolet Typical Supervisor Daniel Sanguily claimed in a statement. “In the meantime, the staff who has been identified with funding the transaction has been placed on a depart of absence although the investigation carries on. We pleasure ourselves on giving great vehicles and have placed literally tens of hundreds of people in automobiles and this is the initial time we have learned of any these types of alleged incident. We are getting it incredibly critically and responding accordingly but we can not remark further as it could compromise the investigation.”

In accordance to an investigator, Crawford was adamant Umanzor agreed to cosign the bank loan, while she was adamant she had not done so. Law enforcement claimed they couldn’t make a dedication both way.

Police have not accused Crawford of involvement in the circumstance, according to the police report. He declined to remark.

Umanzor referred an inquiry to her legal professional at Wilbur Smith LLC. A representative of the organization stated attorneys have been nevertheless examining the case and had no comment for now.

The standing of the Macan and mortgage are unclear. Financial institution Ally Economic and Sanguily declined to remark. Gottlieb mentioned his comprehension is that Crawford was earning payments on the car or truck and the mortgage was in very good standing.