A West Hollywood man is facing additional charges after Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives identified 33 more apparent victims of a $500,000 luxury car scam.
Jonathan Tudor, 64, is facing 78 criminal charges and allegations related to elder theft, securities fraud, grand theft, witness dissuasion, money laundering, and forgery after allegedly posing as a luxury car executive with BMW to scam 38 victims out of thousands of dollars with false promises of luxury vehicles.
Tudor is also facing special allegations of aggravated white collar crime, according to the criminal complaint.
Tudor’s original 44 charges pertained to four victims but since his arrest in July, detectives have identified 33 more victims connected to him, according to Raquel Zick, a public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
The cases go back to 2023 and involve people in New York, Washington, and throughout California, Zick added.
Detectives also uncovered a separate investment fraud case connected to Tudor, the Sheriff’s Office says. Victims reported that he promoted vague investment opportunities and promised he would double their investment.
While Tudor occasionally paid out smaller investments, he allegedly failed to pay back larger amounts and left investors with significant financial losses, authorities said. The Sheriff’s Office believes he was likely using funds from new victims to pay out small investments, according to Zick.
In November 2024, Tudor allegedly hosted a private event at a Santa Barbara hotel where he invited select people to view a luxury car for what he claimed was an exclusive deal.
Victims were convinced to sign contracts and send Tudor roughly $16,000 for vehicles that never arrived. Tudor allegedly made several excuses for the delays and refused to issue refunds, according to Zick.
In July, Tudor was arrested at his home in Los Angeles where detectives found a large collection of luxury goods valued at more than $250,000.
The luxury items were from brands such as Hermès, Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Saint Laurent. Authorities found no evidence that the vehicles Tudor promised existed, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Tudor remains in custody at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail without bail, according to Zick.
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of fraud involving Jonathan Tudor is encouraged to contact detectives at 805.681.4150 or submit anonymous tips here or call 805.681.4171.