A pair of Colorado tow truck operators accused of stealing Lamborghinis, falsifying vehicle ownership records and exploiting drivers after crashes are at the center of a $2.5 million criminal case involving 12 defendants.
Oscar Salinas Jr. and Zaki Meharzi allegedly used towing businesses and a network of relatives and associates to acquire vehicles illegally, disguise their identities and transfer ownership using forged paperwork. Some of the vehicles came from dealerships and rental businesses in other states.
A Denver grand jury indicted the 12 defendants on a combined 187 criminal counts, including theft, forgery and fraud offenses. The October 8 announcement by the Denver District Attorney’s Office described an alleged operation spanning more than three years, from June 2023 through September 2026.
The accusations extend beyond luxury vehicle theft. Prosecutors also allege that towing operators approached motorists after crashes, took possession of their vehicles and demanded thousands of dollars before returning them. One Colorado driver described being pressured to sign over her truck’s title after an accident.
The Lamborghini Trail
Among the most striking allegations is a staged carjacking involving a Lamborghini Urus rented from a luxury vehicle business in Dallas in July 2025.
According to indictment details reported by CBS Colorado, Salinas and another defendant, Albert Delgado, arranged the fake theft before transporting the SUV to Colorado.
Once there, the white Lamborghini was covered in black vinyl and fitted with different wheels to make it harder to identify. Salinas allegedly transferred the $184,000 vehicle to Meharzi, who kept it for approximately two months.
The SUV remained missing when the case was announced.
Prosecutors also accuse Salinas of manipulating the vehicle identification number on his own 2015 Lamborghini Huracan before staging its theft from his Lakewood home and filing an insurance claim for the $220,000 car.
The Huracan was subsequently recovered at his girlfriend’s residence in Denver.
A separate Lamborghini Urus was allegedly stolen from a Cadillac dealership in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by Salinas and his brother, Moses Herrera. The vehicle was transported to Colorado, wrapped in different colors and fitted with altered identifying information.
It was eventually recovered outside Salinas’s home while Herrera was allegedly attempting to move it using a stolen tow truck.
After The Crash
The alleged operation also affected drivers who had just been involved in traffic accidents.
Lesley Campos told CBS Colorado that Salinas approached her after a March 20 crash on Sheridan Boulevard. He claimed an emergency SOS notification from her phone had alerted him to the collision.
Campos initially allowed him to move her damaged truck out of traffic, but retrieving it soon became more complicated.
She described a weekend of disputed towing and storage charges, early-morning communications and demands for cash. Salinas allegedly visited her home and asked her to sign over the truck’s title.
Campos also described being warned that people connected to the towing business had contacts within the police.
Rather than surrendering the title, she contacted the police herself and eventually recovered her vehicle for less than $1,200.
Other motorists were allegedly asked to pay up to $8,000 to retrieve their vehicles.
The indictment includes six counts connected to towing encounters during March and April 2026, while most of the remaining charges concern alleged vehicle thefts and falsified documents.
Paperwork And Profits
The alleged scheme depended heavily on documentation that could make stolen or improperly acquired vehicles appear legitimate.
Prosecutors accuse the defendants of falsifying registration documents, vehicle titles, invoices, repossession records and powers of attorney. Those records were allegedly used to mislead motor vehicle registration and emissions personnel across the Denver metropolitan area.
The vehicles identified in the case included Dodge Chargers, luxury Mercedes-Benz and Audi models, a Chevrolet Corvette, a Cadillac Escalade, pickup trucks, trailers, multiple tow trucks and a Peterbilt semi-truck.
According to The Denver Gazette, the indictment alleges losses exceeding $2.5 million across vehicle owners, businesses, creditors, insurers and the state.
The towing businesses associated with Salinas included Supreme Towing, On Time Towing and Greg’s Towing and Recovery. Meharzi was associated with Denver Commercial Services and Blue Mountain Towing Ltd.
A separate industry report identified Denver Commercial Services Ltd. as appearing on Colorado’s bonded repossessor registry as of September 26, 2024. That registration does not establish that legitimate repossession assignments were involved in the alleged crimes.
Twelve Defendants
The Colorado Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force, working with the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority, led the investigation. The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, Colorado Public Utilities Commission and National Insurance Crime Bureau also assisted.
The indictment names Salinas, Meharzi, Herrera, Kassandra Salinas, Gisselle Varela-Rocha, Haley Gutierrez-Seib, Fernando Medina-Caraballo, Peter Swaab, Ronald Carreras, Albert Delgado, Ruben Martinez and Valentina Guzman.
Salinas and Meharzi were taken into custody before the announcement. Salinas is scheduled to appear in Denver District Court on October 29.
The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt. The defendants’ individual cases remain subject to court proceedings.