HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A South Florida car dealership is no longer allowed to operate in the state of Florida following a Local 10 News investigation.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has yanked Dream Auto Collection’s license in an emergency suspension.
As Local 10 reported earlier this month, that dealership took hundreds of thousands of dollars from a customer and never delivered his SUV. We are talking about $275,000.
The victim in this case, Alan Sue, was promised a refund.
Days after Local 10′s story first ran, investigators were at Dream Auto, located at 3837 Pembroke Road in Hollywood, to go through records.
During our previous visit, Oleg Tyulenev with Dream Auto refused to discuss the allegations, but he now has to answer to state investigators.
Tyulenev and partner Viktor Stefurc are no longer allowed to operate in Florida.
The order says the suspension is necessary to protect the welfare of the public.
Even with all this, the victims appear to be left hanging in the breeze.
“I have not seen one red cent,” Sue told Local 10′s Jeff Weinsier when asked about the refund he’d been promised. “We have several new investigators working on the case.”
Sue, who lives in Hawaii, saw a 2023 Mercedes G63 with an exclusive Brabus appearance package on Dream Auto Collection’s website.
He worked out a deal with Stefurc at Dream Auto for $275,000.
Records show Sue wired Dream Auto Collection the money.
They were supposed to ship the G-Wagen to a port in San Diego, but it never made it, and Dream Auto, Stefurc and his staff were ignoring Sue until Local 10 News got involved.
Stefurc claims to be in Russia.
“Viktor sends me a text message saying, ‘happy 4th of July don’t worry I’m working very hard to get all you money back,’” Sue said. “That was the last I heard from Viktor.”
The emergency order also says Dream Auto advertised several vehicles as available for sale online, despite the fact those vehicles are not on the lot or owned by the dealership.
In Florida, dealers must obtain a $25,000 bond to operate.
Customers, like Sue, can file a claim against that bond for money back when issues like this, but it appears Sue isn’t alone.
And only $25,000?!
“They advised me that they have several claims ahead of me, on that $25,000 claim,” Sue said.
That’s not all.
Local 10 News has learned BRABUS is suing Dream Auto Collection, claiming several G Wagons they were selling, including the one Sue paid for, had been modified with counterfeit BRABUS branding.
“Apparently, unbeknownst to me, the car I bought was not a real BRABUS, it was a fake,” said Sue.
The 40 year old German company and their selected affiliates are renowned for modifying engines, interiors, and badging with after-market packages that can reach $200,000.
On Tuesday at Dream Auto, no one would comment.
As for Sue, when Local 10 spoke to him last month, he was suicidal over the situation.
“I’m tearing hairs out here, I’m trying to stay calm,” Sue said. “Seriously Jeff, I thought about killing myself.”
Now, he is feeling better.
Hopeful about getting his money back, but realistic about the situation.
“I’m still alive, the sun is shining and I’m thankful for that,” he said. “I was in a very dark place. No one was coming forward to help me. The likelihood of me getting my money back at this point seems to be getting less and less.”
Criminally, the Hollywood Police Department and the State Attorney General’s Office are investigating.
Sue filed a complaint with the FBI, but they are not commenting.
Dream Auto Collection Suspension Order:
BRABUS Lawsuit: