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California Charges 14 in 56-Count Case Over ‘Montana Plate’ Tax Evasion Scheme

Incriminating texts bolster a statewide push to recover unpaid taxes from luxury car purchases.

Overview

  • Prosecutors allege the group failed to report about $20 million in exotic-car buys, shorting California roughly $1.8 million in taxes since 2018.
  • The complaint says defendants used Montana LLC registrations, fake bills of lading, and false DMV and tax forms to claim cars were out of state when they never left California.
  • Text messages released by the attorney general appear to show intent to conceal vehicles and fabricate shipping documents.
  • DMV and CDTFA say they have identified close to 500 dealers tied to more than 2,500 Montana-claimed sales since 2023, recovered $2.3 million, and estimate annual losses above $10 million.
  • Authorities highlighted Beverly Hills as a hotspot with 416 suspicious cases, as the multi-agency TRUE task force pursues further enforcement.