Pennington County (trfnews.i234.me) — A 34-year-old man from Raleigh, North Carolina, has been charged in Pennington County District Court with felony theft by swindle after allegedly deceiving a Thief River Falls couple out of $32,974 in July 2024.
Vasile Ion Virlizanu is accused of posing as a sales representative for Brenek Motors LLC, a now-defunct car dealership based in Laurel, Delaware. The couple intended to purchase a 1956 Chevy 210 for $32,974, communicating through phone calls, texts, and emails. They provided a purchase order, bill of lading, a DocuSign order, a photo of a purported vehicle title, and proof of a July 11 wire transfer. However, the vehicle was never delivered.
Investigations revealed that the website used for the transaction previously belonged to Brenek Motors, which had ceased operations. The site featured numerous stock photos of vehicles. Further inquiry uncovered that the Bank of America account receiving the funds was opened under Brenek Motors Dealership LLC, registered to a UPS store in Raleigh, North Carolina. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Virlizanu conducting multiple transactions, including cash withdrawals as high as $22,500.
A nationwide warrant has been issued for Virlizanu’s arrest. Law enforcement continues to investigate, seeking any additional victims who may have encountered similar fraudulent schemes.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News