Miami Beach police have arrested three men in connection with an organized scheme to steal and resell high-end vehicles, recovering several exotic rides worth approximately $300,000. Yuriy Korotovskyy, 41, Arman Gevorgyan, 53, and Hrant Nazarian, 43, face charges of grand theft, dealing in stolen property, and conspiracy to commit organized fraud.
According to Miami Beach Police spokesperson Christopher Bess, the suspects used counterfeit paperwork to steal vehicles without raising suspicion. “They present paperwork that seems legitimate, and they go away with the vehicle,” Bess explained.
The investigation began on January 22 when police responded to a report of a stolen 2020 Rolls-Royce, which was supposed to be transported from Miami Beach to a Michigan auto shop but never arrived. The owner of the car, Detroit-area resident Nader Eldamouni, described the loss of his $300,000 Rolls-Royce as devastating.
Detectives soon discovered a growing trend of stolen vehicles, particularly luxury cars like a Lamborghini Urus and Audi R8, which were rerouted during their transport. The suspects, working with brokers from Armenia and Russia, targeted dispatchers and truck drivers, redirecting them to locations where the stolen vehicles were resold.
A cooperative truck driver provided investigators with crucial details, describing how he unknowingly delivered stolen vehicles to locations such as Hallandale Beach. Surveillance footage later showed the suspects following the stolen cars.
A breakthrough came on Thursday, when a controlled delivery was set up in Aventura. At the scene, police arrested the three suspects after Korotovskyy paid $700 for the delivery of a stolen Lamborghini Urus. The authorities also uncovered several other stolen luxury vehicles, including a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Both Eldamouni and another victim, Steve Phelan from Houston, Texas, who had his Ferrari stolen, were alerted to the crime after seeing news coverage of similar incidents. Miami Beach Police continue to investigate and are working to arrest other individuals involved in the theft ring.
To help prevent such crimes, Bess advised car owners to consider using GPS tracking systems and to verify shipments with dealers. As of Friday evening, Eldamouni’s Rolls-Royce had not yet been recovered.
