You lie to me about your name, your date of birth, your address, anything like that, it's a completely separate crime. What is your name? >> Shereen. >> What's your middle initial? >> I don't know. >> March 30th, 2023, New Rochelle, New York. Employees at a Toyota dealership become suspicious when two women try to finance a $95,000 Sequoia using IDs that fail authentication checks. >> First and foremost, my name is Detective Velasco. Do you speak English? Velasco. >> Velasco? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Right now, you are being detained. You're not under arrest, but you're not free to go. Do you understand? >> I understand. >> Okay. We're here because the dealership called us. That being said, the very first thing we're going to start with is your name. Before I get your name or any information, you lie to me about your name, your date of birth, your address, anything like that, it's a completely separate crime than from whatever else we got going. Do you understand? That being said, what is your name? >> Shereen. >> Shereen, spell that for me. >> S H >> Mhm. >> E R >> Mhm. >> I N N E >> And what's your last name? >> Peláez. P E L A E Z >> What's your middle initial? >> I don't know. >> Okay. And your date of birth? How old does that make you? >> I years old. >> What's a good address for you? >> I live in Canada. >> Okay. Now, any address for you is fine. >> Huh? >> What's your address in Canada? >> Uh >> Mhm. >> Uh Montreal. >> Okay. What brings you to New York? >> My friend. >> Did you come today? >> Yesterday. >> How long have you been in New York for? >> I can't, I'm sorry. >> For sitting here for the half an hour we do this and make sure you understand. I don't know if they have something of equivalence in Canada. But this is how we do things here in the U.S. >> I've never been detained in my life. >> Well then this is your first time then. I'm warning you as a police officer of your constitutional rights. You have the right to remain silent and anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish one. You also have to make three phone calls. Do you understand what I've just stated to you? If you do, do you wish to speak with us? Good. Okay, I appreciate that. Thank you. I mean, you understand the concept of why we're here. But the manager called us since two females were here trying to purchase a car. This ID I'm looking at very much looks fake. You understand that, right? Have you heard of the after we filled out? My only question to you is, why? >> I have a hearing loss. What is it? I have a hearing loss and I bought two cars. My girlfriend offered me this. I've never done this in my life. >> This as in come and purchase this car? >> Okay. >> Um, did they provide you with this ID too? Whoever gave it >> provided me her ID. >> Okay. And this ID you gave to the general manager today, correct? Okay. So establish that. Now, from what I'm gathering, somebody probably offered you money to do this. How much money did they offer you? >> They didn't say. >> What were the What were the instructions? >> They just told us to follow. >> Follow >> I followed her. She Well, she's my friend from here. She has her connections, so I just didn't I didn't really just have to follow. >> Okay. Um so, they said, "Just follow her. Um here's a fake ID. Go and try and buy a car." Is that correct? >> Mhm. >> And she Was she the one that told you that you can make money from this, or how did you get involved? >> I told her that I I was having trouble. >> Okay. So, you told her you were in a little bit of financial trouble. >> also going through that, and somebody that she knows offered me the same. She told me about it, and >> So, it sounds like she's done this in the past. Is that correct? >> I'm not sure. >> Okay. So, she says, "I know a way we can make some money." And how does she explain this plan to you? Like, what were What were the instructions? What was the goal here? >> She was just so confident that she knew that she could trust this person. >> And why this dealership? >> Well, they just They look for They tell They tell us what car we need to go get. That's That's what we've been doing today. We've been trying to find a car. >> Okay. How many other dealerships did you guys go to today? >> Well, we just tried calling them to see if they were really pressured us to do it, and we were really frustrated all day because we couldn't find it, and we only finally did. Um she um She had >> So, now you come here, you're trying to buy this car. Do you know what the value of this car is? >> Yes. Taxes included in the 100,000 she told us. >> Yeah. That's a very serious felony here in the state of Sounds like you're being honest. I do, but I don't believe I'm getting the full truth here. >> I don't I don't want to speak on her behalf. I'm trying to protect her, too. >> I don't I I get that. >> for myself. >> That's fine, but also you should understand that she put you in this situation here. >> I know, but I I just I believe that I only speak for myself. I don't like to >> Where are you staying here in New >> Hm? >> Where are you staying? >> In Queens. >> With her? >> With her. >> There's a guy with driving the car. What's his deal? What's his deal? >> So, he's just the friend I just met. We just met him. He was supposed to We just met him because he was supposed to be our driver. So, we we were not supposed to >> The driver's set up by who? Whoever's telling you and her to do this. >> Yeah. >> Who gave you guys these IDs? >> I didn't pick them up myself. We had to go to a place in Yonkers, I think it's called. >> Uh-huh. >> And we just waited in a parking lot. Somebody came to give it to give it to us, but we didn't know him. >> Okay. >> I can't even remember his face. >> Who's we? You and her? >> Yes. >> Um how long ago was that? >> Me, him, and and the driver were cuz he drives us. He drove us. No, this was yesterday or Yeah, yesterday. I can't say exactly the day. >> Today is Thursday. >> Today is Tuesday. Mm, I can't say. It was during this week. >> So, this guy >> days during the week. >> The driver, you've been with him for multiple days? >> Mm. >> That's what you just said. With the driver. >> We haven't been doing this for multiple >> How many times have you been in the car with the driver? >> Well, this week. >> No, Dockers. >> Cuz we didn't trust you guys. >> Dockers today, another place >> Yeah, this week. >> Okay. What day did you think of the ideas? >> Maybe Monday or Tuesday. Like I said, it's it's this week, but >> That's fine. You understand that the car you said is registered to your father, you own it. >> Yeah, my dad. >> And you have a random guy driving it around. You're a little hazy on the details here. >> I know. >> This is what we're going to do, okay? Um I want you to really think about the the situation you're in here. Um and you are under arrest. And this is a very serious crime. Um so >> You said that I was being arrested for what? >> Yeah. And then now, through this investigation here, you are under Uh how about for possession of false identification, committing fraud, attempted grand larceny. It's a number of charges. Uh you're definitely going to be arrested tonight. Um And I can't make any guarantees, but I definitely want to speak to you a little bit more inside. It seems to me like you're a small fish here, and people that are calling the shots, making fake IDs, instructing you how to do this, that's who I'm really interested in. Because people like you are just looking for minutes, looking to make money. Am I right? Looking for a little help. Somebody comes to you with a quick get Somebody gets you a quick get rich scheme. And people bite. So, I should think that if we can figure out who these people are, with your help. Again, this is not This is not let's make a deal. It's not my job. I just know that if I go to the attorney, and I say that there's more here, there's bigger fish to fry than Shari from Canada. Uh it might help you out. Okay? So, that being said >> Let me take this bottle off you. What do you have on you? What? No, like the long the long and short of it. >> Come to the 50 >> Wallet, phone, keys, stuff like that. >> stuff is in my bag. They have my bag. >> They have your bag. They're going to break it in. Don't worry, okay? I got it. I got it. We're good. Pat you down. We make sure there's nothing. >> All right. It's right by your front house. It's supposed to be multiple vehicles parked in the handicap spots. You know what I mean? Like your head. >> All right. So, GIAU? >> GIAU? >> Okay. And then Giansanti, we'll leave her in the main cage and then this guy will go to PCU. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. That's fine. Keep your keys on. Thank you. >> Sherin and Victoria Mendez were both booked on charges including attempted grand larceny, possession of a forged instrument, identity theft, and conspiracy. They were held awaiting arraignment the following day. A fake identity was supposed to help secure a $95,000 SUV. Instead, it helped send both women into police custody.