OC Man Accused of Selling Luxury Cars He Didn't Own and Fleeing with the Cash

A 25-year-old Santa Ana man accused of scamming two buyers into giving him cash for luxury cars -- which he had no authority to sell -- at steep discounts pleaded not guilty today to grand theft charges.

Michael Garduno allegedly went to auto dealerships, took photos of high- end vehicles and posted them on Craigslist for sale at way below their value -- including $9,000 for a 2013 Audi S5, according to Santa Ana Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

“When the victim calls and says ‘How is this possible?,’ he says he got it from a tow truck company and that it was in default so he’s selling it on contingency,” Bertagna alleged.

Detectives theorize that buyers meet with him, hand over the cash, and “off he goes,” according to Bertagna, who said the other alleged victim was also trying to buy an Audi and was scammed out of $15,000 in Newport Beach.

In one of the transactions, the victim realized what was happening, chased after Garduno and got a vehicle description that led police to him, Bertagna said.

Police suspect Garduno has done the same thing elsewhere in Orange County, as well as Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Bertagna said.

City News Service; Wikimedia Commons