Victims of a suspected vehicle sales fraud gathered on Wednesday at the Cabo San Lucas Criminal Justice Center to urge authorities to expedite judicial processes against Gilberto “N,” who has multiple allegations of fraud against him.
Among those affected is the company Automotriz Transmar de Cortés S.A. de C.V., as well as individuals who handed over significant amounts of money without receiving the promised vehicles. Eduardo de la Mora Peña, the company’s general director, revealed that Gilberto “N” had previously operated under the same fraudulent scheme in Cancún before moving to Los Cabos. He estimated that the financial damage caused exceeds 10 million pesos.
“He hides behind a company and its image. His business model is in automotive sales, where he deceives customers looking to buy cars. The most common form of abuse has been receiving money without issuing a receipt from the company, and after months of waiting for vehicle deliveries, he is stealing from new victims to cover his previous thefts,” de la Mora Peña stated.
Among the victims is Mariel Brito, a young woman who reported being defrauded of 340,000 pesos. She filed her complaint a year ago, but progress in the case has been slow. “I realized I had been scammed out of all my money a year ago. I contacted the agency to check on my unit, which I believed was fully paid for, only to find out there had been no payments and that he issued false invoices in the agency’s name,” she explained.
Legal representative María Julia Gómez, who advocates for several victims, reported that at least nine investigation files have been opened in 2024 alone, with the possibility of more. She criticized the sluggish pace of the legal process and the inadequate conditions in the local judicial system. “What we have been insisting on is that the type of crime is not considered serious in the current code, thus it doesn’t warrant preventive detention. We urge judges to suspend his vehicle sales activities. The judge could impose precautionary measures to prevent him from continuing to sell cars, as the growing number of cases from 2021 to 2024 indicates a lack of action from authorities,” Gómez emphasized.
The affected individuals made an urgent appeal to authorities to impose precautionary measures to prevent further victims from falling into the same scheme. They also encouraged potential victims to file complaints with the respective authorities.
This situation highlights the need for improved regulatory oversight in the automotive sales sector to protect consumers from fraudulent activities. With increased awareness and swift legal action, there is hope for justice for the victims and measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.