Blue Marlin Motors Owner Arrested

LastMango

Wow... He just sponsored a tournament this summer to... Man....

http://www.wptv.com/news/region-martin-county/stuart/blue-marlin-motors-owner-craig-danzig-arrested-martin-county-sheriffs-office-says

A Martin County car dealership owner has been arrested following complaints from several customers, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

55-year old Craig Danzig, owner of Blue Marlin Motors in Stuart, faces grand theft charges.

Some of the victims claim that they left vehicles at Danzig’s dealership on U-S 1 in Stuart to be sold on consignment.

At least 10 claim they lost thousands of dollars after doing business with Danzig

Some said the cars were sold but they never got paid, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies arrested Danzig Tuesday morning.

His bond was set at $450 thousand.

LastMango

Tournament Info - https://bluemarlintournament.wordpress.com/

No one caught a Blue, I now wonder what would have happened if they did?!?!

SnookMan772

Interesting......

LastMango

What a shame if true, for those who lost money and for what appeared to be such a cool vintage car place...

mr300s

I actually am one of the victims. I bought a mustang and traded in a mustang on 10/24/2015 . He was given $26,000,00 and was suppose to pay of the liens and never did, Its been over thirty days and I have received nothing but the run around, Even the employees there seemed as if they were in on it always saying whatever person you wanted was sick or whatever.

Craig Spoke with us several time just lies upon lies and stalling. Never in my life and I am 66 years old and a former NY Detective have I seen such a con man.

Anyone that wants to deal with that dealership better be well warned to stay away>>>

It sucked that there are people like this in our society ...

sneaky snooker

He essentially was running a pyramid scheme with cars. A real POS.

dpdash

That sucks, sorry to hear

mr300s

Update a little more info for anyone else that got taken...

MARTIN COUNTY — A local car dealership owner is accused of scamming people out of at least $400,000, said Sheriff William Snyder.
Craig Danzig, the 55-year-old owner of Blue Marlin Motors of Stuart, was arrested Tuesday morning after a seven-month investigation and charged with grand theft of property valued between $20,000 and $100,000, and issuing a worthless check, said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Christine Christofek.
At least 10 people have claimed they've lost thousands of dollars after doing business with Danzig at his dealership, at 2901 S.E. Gran Park Way, near Southeast Federal Highway, Christofek said.
Blue Marlin Motors of Stuart has been in the consignment business of high-end cars for about two years and specializes in vintage vehicles, Snyder said.
"We've had complaint after complaint after complaint about what at the very least would be bad business practices, but what now has turned into criminal activity," Snyder said.
Some of those people reported leaving vehicles at Danzig's lot to sell on consignment, Christofek said. They claimed the cars were sold, but Danzig never turned over the money.
"He was not selling the cars and then in good faith paying the victims for their cars," Snyder said. "He was accepting payment and then having to go out and sell other cars to make that money back."
The state Department of Motor Vehicles gives car dealers the ability to get duplicate titles to be able to move vehicles around, Snyder said.
"It appears to us that Mr. Danzig took advantage of his liberty as a car dealer to ultimately defraud and to steal over $400,000," Snyder said.
The case was a civil matter because Danzig would make partial payments to the customers, Snyder said, but it became a criminal case when 10 customers hadn't been paid. He said the State Attorney's Office recommended one charge for all 10 people, each of whom lost between $20,000 and $100,000.
"If (Danzig) would've just sold the cars as he promised, taken the money and given it to the customer," Snyder said, "we wouldn't be here today."
Snyder advises doing business with reputable people and checking their references, but he doesn't blame any of the 10 people who were scammed.
"They had every reason to believe that they would get full payment of their cars," Snyder said. "Sometimes at the end of the day, you just have to trust that the person you're dealing with is being reliable."
Danzig was released from the Martin County Jail on Tuesday on a $450,750 bail, according to a jail official.
Anyone who has information or could have been scammed should call the Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigations Division at 772-220-7170.

Colonel Klink

sneaky snooker wrote: »

He essentially was running a pyramid scheme with cars. A real POS.

A more accurate description would be that he was running a Ponzi scheme. I know someone who was one of his victims. Great job Martin County Sheriff's Office on a thorough investigation. Hopfully justice is served.

LastMango

mr300s wrote: »

MARTIN COUNTY — A local car dealership owner is accused of scamming people out of at least $400,000, said Sheriff William Snyder.

I believe I remember when he was on the West side of US-1 a bit North of the current location that he apparently move to two years ago... Essentially, he paid himself $200K a year for two years with other peoples money...

I just don't know how someone could think that stealing $400K isn't going to catch up to them... But then again, there was a Bernie too... Crazy stuff...

MH79

What a scumbag

Maribella

correct, he was just up the road on west side of US1 before taking over that boat dealership site.
Just like the danzig song... tell your children not to walk my way... Guy is bad news...

Soda Popinski

Surprised there is a car left on his lot after that came out. I cannot stand it when good people get cheated. If you can't earn an honest living doing something, go do something else.

JI Snook

Moving across the street to the old Lentini place was a much higher overhead. He was in over his head since day 1.

sneaky snooker

Colonel Klink wrote: »

A more accurate description would be that he was running a Ponzi scheme. I know someone who was one of his victims. Great job Martin County Sheriff's Office on a thorough investigation. Hopfully justice is served.

You are correct. Thanks for pointing that out. It was very pertinent to the story .