September 18, 2026 – Placer County Sheriff's Office officials report that detectives were recently able to return $12,000 to a family who unknowingly purchased a stolen vehicle.

Stick with us as we explain this one. Here's how we got there.

Back in May 23-year-old Gabi Tanase, 34-year-old Ionut Tanase and 28-year-old Marius Tanase were arrested after detectives uncovered a larger vehicle fraud operation.

It started when the three met with a Placer County resident who was selling a car. During the encounter, they attempted to make it appear that the vehicle had a serious mechanical problem. The seller became suspicious, declined to sell and contacted law enforcement.

That call helped detectives uncover a much larger operation.

The scam involved suspects posing as buyers on platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. While distracting sellers during a test drive, they would secretly tamper with the vehicle by placing oil in areas such as the coolant reservoir or tailpipe. When the vehicle was driven, the oil would burn and create smoke, making it appear there was a serious mechanical problem.

The suspects would then pressure the seller to accept a much lower price. The vehicles could later be resold for their full value.

During the investigation, detectives identified a vehicle the Tanase brothers had obtained through this scam. By that point, they had already sold it to a family for $12,000.

The vehicle was seized as part of the investigation, but detectives knew that left an innocent family in a difficult position.

So, they worked to get the family their money back. During the investigation, detectives located over $33,000 in cash, which was seized as evidence.

We're happy to report that the $12,000 has now been returned to them. Detectives even met with the family to make sure the money made it safely back into their hands. Out of respect for their privacy, we won't share their identity.

This case is a good reminder that when something doesn't feel right, trust your gut and call us. One suspicious interaction helped detectives uncover an operation that had victimized multiple people.

The Tanase brothers have all pleaded guilty to their crimes, including elder fraud.

Source: Placer County Sheriff's Office