The 1972 Ford Mustang never showed up, but the alleged scammer did, stepping off a small plane in shackles at Apalachicola Regional Airport after what authorities describe as a cross-country hunt for a car-sale fraud crew.
Franklin County deputies say a 22-year-old New Yorker is now charged with grand theft after an Eastpoint man wired roughly $17,000 for a classic Mustang that existed only on paper. The woman arrived in custody on Feb. 25 and is scheduled for a Franklin County court appearance on April 14, 2026.
According to The Apalachicola Times, the buyer, identified in court papers only as AM, signed a purchase agreement on June 16, 2025 and wired $16,510 for the Mustang, plus $490 for delivery, to a Wells Fargo account under the name Automation Store LLC. The invoice listed a VIN and a delivery contact who told AM the car would arrive before June 23. It never did. Investigators say nearly $10,000 more was later debited from the victim’s account, and court documents reviewed by the paper note that the Great American Auto listing used phone and email contacts that looked legitimate at first glance.
WCTV reported that the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office posted a Facebook video showing the suspect, identified in documents as Anna Daschenko, being walked off a small plane and into deputies’ custody on Feb. 25. Deputies told the station she was extradited to Florida after stops in Louisiana and New York, and that ATM footage helped drive the investigation. Both the sheriff’s office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are involved in the still-unfolding case, according to the station.
Investigators say alias and shell company were used
The Apalachicola Times reports that records show Automation Store LLC was created on May 1, 2025 under the name Katka Pawlik, backed by what investigators say was a fraudulent passport. Federal records cited in the report tie Pawlik to Daschenko as an alias. The paper adds that Wells Fargo turned over ATM video to an FDLE special agent in December 2025, and investigators say that footage shows the suspect making withdrawals linked to the scheme. Deputies say Daschenko has been booked on a grand-theft charge, fitted with an ankle monitor and given a $50,000 bond.
Charges and what comes next
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office says Daschenko faces grand-theft charges related to the attempted Mustang purchase, WCTV reported. Prosecutors are expected to review FDLE filings along with any new evidence as the case moves through county court. Investigators have urged anyone who believes they were caught up in a similar deal to contact law enforcement so officers can track additional victims and follow the money trail.
How to avoid similar scams
Consumer authorities warn that wiring money or sending a direct bank transfer offers almost no protection if a deal goes bad, and that this payment method is a common tool in online marketplace fraud. They advise buyers to be extremely cautious before sending funds, especially to people they have never met in person.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends never wiring money to someone you have not met face-to-face and urges consumers to report suspected fraud through its portal. If you think you have been targeted, officials say to contact your bank immediately, save all messages, invoices and receipts from the transaction, and notify local law enforcement so investigators have a better shot at tracing accounts and recovering funds.
