In Miami-Dade, a scheme that read like an outtake from "Grand Theft Auto" came to a halt when Pavel Gomez-Deben was arrested over the weekend. The 53-year-old man is accused of using fake employment and income records in attempts to purchase luxury vehicles, a scam investigators are referring to as a "credit bust out." Local 10 reported Gomez-Deben was taken into custody at a Miami Gardens car dealership.
Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office investigators connected Gomez-Deben to suspicious transactions involving the attempted purchase of vehicles worth hundreds of thousands. One was a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 valued at over $175,000. The Mercedes-Benz dealership grew suspicious after noting 16 inquiries into Gomez-Deben's credit report and a recent acquisition of a 2025 GMC Yukon, nearing $97,000, according to NBC Miami. A subsequent investigation unveiled the cloaked pitfalls of a "credit bust out," where applicants falsely elevate their income and employment data to secure automotive loans.
Further digging into the case revealed that Gomez-Deben claimed to earn over $247,000 annually as the president of a supposed company called "P&G Truck Lines," which had been dormant since 2021 before being reinstated just months prior to the loan attempts. However, the sleight of hand of a con artist unfolded as it was discovered that Gomez-Deben's current occupation was as a barber, not the head of an active trucking line.
As the web of deceit began to unravel, authorities set a trap. After disabling the OnStar tracking system in the GMC Yukon, Gomez-Deben was lured back to the dealership under the pretense of a necessary vehicle service. Upon arrival, he was promptly detained by waiting deputies. He initially claimed to be the victim of identity theft, denying that he applied for credit at the dealership. But the alibi weakened when it was revealed that he directly communicated with the staff from his personal cellphone number, exposing mismatches in his fabricated stories.
Now, Gomez-Deben faces multiple charges, including organized fraud, grand theft, and obtaining property through false statements or credit. As of the latest reports, the bond information for Gomez-Deben was not immediately available.
