A former car dealership finance manager, as well as an alleged straw buyer and money mule, are facing charges after Miami-Dade investigators discovered a major “credit bust out” fraud operation involving more than two dozen vehicles valued at more than $1.5 million.
Deinier Dominguez, 39, of Cutler Bay, and Elizabeth Gamez Pardo, 49, of Miami, were detained on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office’s Auto Crimes Task Force, according to arrest reports.
Dominguez was charged with organized fraud, 25 counts of grand theft, 25 charges of getting a car by deception, 25 counts of obtaining property or credit by false statement, racketeering, money laundering, and criminal solicitation, according to records.
Gamez Pardo is accused of organized fraud, grand theft of a car, uttering forged instruments, forging bank bills or promissory notes, getting a vehicle by deception, racketeering, money laundering, criminal solicitation, and obtaining property or credit through false assertion.
Dominguez, according to claims, assisted in the “credit bust out” scam while working as finance manager at Bomnin Chevrolet from 2020 to 2025 and subsequently at HGreg Nissan from 2025 to January 2026.
A “credit bust out” occurs when a person acquires multiple vehicles in a short period of time before they appear on their credit reports, or when a person manipulates their credit history to conceal negative activity, authorities said.
The alleged suspect frequently unlawfully subleases the vehicles on the black market, gets the lien wiped and titled in other states, or swiftly transfers the vehicles to new owners, investigators said.
According to sources, investigators discovered Dominguez originated 25 automotive loans under fraudulent pretenses, totaling $1,518,701.70.
The vehicles included Corvettes, Tahoes, Jeeps, BMWs, Mercedes, a Cadillac, a Lexus, a Land Rover, and others, according to the accounts.
The investigations said Dominguez used his position as finance manager to “facilitate bust-out schemes for personal profit,” and they named at least a dozen other suspects, including straw buyers, auto brokers, and recruiters.
According to reports, one suspected straw buyer, Gamez Pardo, claimed identity theft for a $128,000 loan on a 2024 Mercedes GLE AMG.
According to reports, Dominguez, the finance manager who originated the loan for the Mercedes purchase, was identified through a photo of her getting the keys at the dealership. In this example, Mr. Dominguez’s function as finance manager is directly responsible for $1,518,701.70 in fraudulent vehicle loans granted,” the findings stated.
Dominguez appeared in bond court Thursday, where a detective stated that he had been dismissed from both dealerships.
The detective stated that investigators have recovered “a handful” of the automobiles.He’s at the top of the pyramid; he was the finance manager at the dealerships who approved what appears to be $1.5 million in illegal loans,” a prosecutor said.
The judge granted Dominguez bond, but he must prove that the funds used to pay it were legitimately obtained.
On Thursday, an HGreg representative released a statement regarding Dominguez’s arrest.
“At HGreg, integrity is our highest priority and before anyone is hired, we conduct rigorous background checks. Protecting the interests of our customers is central to our mission and guides every decision we make,” the statement read. “Upon being informed of the investigation by the authorities, the employment of Deinier Dominguez was terminated the same day. Since that time, we have fully cooperated, and will continue to cooperate with the authorities to ensure that the matter is addressed thoroughly.”
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