Buzz
A 24-year-old impersonator posed as a glamorous billionaire gaining early access to the precious Ferrari Monza, which led many wealthy individuals to spend millions of dollars on a 'fantasy' car.
Numerous affluent individuals fell victim to a Ferrari buying scam, with amounts reaching around $3 million. Pictured on the left is Daniel Lesin, who embarrassed the wealthy elite by falling into the trap of a classic 'paper car' scam - Photo: The Drive
From 'rich kid' image to scam artist
At just 24, Daniel Lesin portrayed himself as a remarkably successful individual. 'Owning' a collection of luxury cars, including Ferraris, he appeared as the type always on the VIP list of the Italian supercar manufacturer - those who could afford the newest and most unique models.
One day, he appeared in the renowned car enthusiasts' group, accompanied by a grandiose background: Having a father who's a tycoon in the luxury watch business, he easily sponsored his son's expensive car collection hobby.
In 2018, Ferrari opened orders for the Monza SP1 and SP2 - the flagship models of the exclusive 'Icona' series based on legendary past cars, targeting the most VIP and loyal customers of the Italian automaker.
Meanwhile, those not on the pre-approved list were willing to shell out millions of dollars to own one of these rare cars.
At this precise moment, Lesin claimed to be on the list and ready to sell his Ferrari Monza. This handover sale style is not uncommon in the supercar world, so many people easily believed him.
Unfortunately, it was all a 'fantasy,' according to the FBI.
Rob Feretti (left) and Dan Lesin (right) in Las Vegas. Rob Feretti, a prominent figure in the car enthusiast community, was one of the individuals Lesin approached to execute his spectacular scam - Photo: YouTube
On June 2nd, 2022, Lesin was arrested by the FBI, accused of defrauding approximately $3 million related to the distribution of Ferrari Monza SP, a car he never owned.
Lesin is currently federally detained awaiting trial for 4 counts of fraud. According to the indictment, if convicted, Lesin could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, Lesin faces numerous civil lawsuits from victims seeking compensation in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars per case.
How did Lesin commit fraud?
All sophisticated fraud relies on a kernel of truth and a lot of deception.
A modest millionaire
'The modest millionaire Lesin' was indeed born into wealth, but not to the extent of a tycoon. He drove a Ferrari 488 Spider to meet a car enthusiast in New Jersey, through whom he infiltrated the Cars and Coffee group - essentially a gathering of supercar aficionados. It was there that Lesin met Rob Ferretti, the creator of the Super Speeders series, also a prominent figure in the supercar community.
During these encounters, Lesin skillfully portrayed himself as a frequent private jet traveler, sporting expensive watches, and driving luxurious cars. Lesin also boasted about inventing gambling software while still in school, which his wealthy father sold to casino mogul Steve Wynn.
Certainly, Lesin didn't boast arrogantly. He appeared humble, cautiously praising himself, as one victim recounted.
Ferretti confirms: “That's how con artists operate. Skillfully leading others to talk about themselves, rather than boasting directly... Some details exaggerated, some plausible, mixing truth and lies, making even skeptical listeners feel unable to argue.
For instance, with Ferretti, he presented himself as a fan, borrowing expensive cars that Lesin claimed to 'own' such as the Ferrari F12, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Lamborghini Murciélago SV, or Porsche 918 generously.
Lesin crafted such a positive image that many couldn't believe he was a scammer - Photo: Rob Ferretti/Twitter
Lesin even splurged on renting a presidential suite when joining the luxury car rally organized by the extravagant travel company LuxRally. Cleverly, he convinced one organizer to pay an extra $2,000 just to get a more desirable table. “I think you could call that a smoke and mirrors tactic in a way, throwing a decoy out there,” said David Eisen, CEO of LuxRally.
Lesin built such a good image that even when the scam was exposed, some still sided with him, believing he was unfairly targeted, baselessly mocked. Commenting on this, Ferretti told The Drive: “People are prone to trust those with expensive belongings and valuable connections.”
Ghost Contract
Lesin claimed he and his family had previously “co-owned about 75 Ferraris, having a strong and long-lasting relationship with the company…”. This allowed them to be on the list of potential customers.
To reinforce this claim, he released previous Ferrari sales contracts. In reality, those contracts were all executed through a phantom self-established company, forging bank stamps and government agencies' seals.
As a result, individuals and organizations eager for the Monza were ready to pay upfront deposits. In total, according to the FBI, he successfully swindled $3 million.
Lesin's scam could have gone on for a long time as buyers signed agreements not to contact Ferrari before, during, and after the transaction.
A document on ghost contracts, fake bank records obtained by The Drive - Photo: The Drive
This is also understandable because there's an unwritten rule in Ferrari purchases that those granted early access to limited edition models are not allowed to resell them within a certain period. Otherwise, they risk being excluded from the VIP list or put on a 'blacklist'. Therefore, such resale transactions are often conducted covertly.
Unraveling
Lesin only raised suspicion when Chicago Motor Cars, a dealership specializing in supercars and luxury vehicles, conducted a Porsche 918 Spyder transaction to be eligible to buy back the Ferrari Monza.
Given the rarity of the Monza, it's highly unlikely for one person to have two. Lesin reassured that his cousin was also buying a Monza. But the company remained skeptical, and upon further investigation, they were shocked to discover that Lesin was selling cars to multiple individuals and different companies, with almost identical contracts, differing only in timing.
A wave of lawsuits erupted. Some cases have been ruled with Lesin ordered to compensate hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars. Some cases are ongoing. With such a large-scale fraud, the FBI took notice and arrested Lesin.
Some images of expensive Ferraris that Lesin 'borrowed' names to deceive - Photo: Ferrari
