A South Florida man, Vitalii Stefurac, was apprehended on the brink of international escape, charged with elaborate deception following a car sale gone wrong. The 48-year-old Hallandale Beach resident, who also goes by "Viktor," is facing a federal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Local 10 News reported. Stefurac was preparing to board a flight from Miami to Cuba, with Russia as the ultimate destination.
According to authorities, the former proprietor of Dream Auto Collection, a now-defunct luxury car dealership based in Hollywood, is accused of swindling nearly $300,000 from Alan Sue, a senior from Hawaii. As described in court documents, Sue, who was looking to buy a luxury 2023 Mercedes-Benz G63, never laid eyes on the car which he had wired money for—having been allegedly sold to another, as per Miami Daily Life. The vehicle, which boasted a rare BRABUS package, was a symbol of dreams deferred and trust betrayed.
In distressing terms, Sue shared with Local 10 News the despair he felt, saying, "Seriously, I thought about killing myself. I'll say it right out — I was stupid and foolish." His engagement with Stefurac began with spotting the luxury vehicle online and ended with Sue out of pocket and without a car. With the money sent in two installments in April 2024, Sue's hope was acknowledged by Stefurac, but quickly turned to radio silence.
The case against Stefurac was compounded by federal prosecutors pointing out his dual citizenship and frequent trips, notably to Russia, painting a portrait of a man with the means and motive to vanish. Nevertheless, a federal judge set Stefurac's bond at $100,000, defying prosecutors' concerns. Putting up her Hallandale Beach apartment as collateral, Galina Kerer, Stefurac's girlfriend, secured his release. Currently, Stefurac's movements are confined to South Florida, with his passport surrendered, Miami Daily Life reports state.
As the legal process unfolds, Sue remains out of pocket, still awaiting the refund Stefurac has been promising for over a year. "No, Jeff, I haven't seen one red cent," Sue told Local 10 News, the hope of recompense slipping further away with each passing day. If Stefurac is found guilty, his sentence could include three to four years in federal prison, along with a legal obligation under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act to fully repay the monies lost by Sue. The act ensures that victims of certain federal crimes, including fraud, are financially compensated as part of the perpetrator's sentence.
