Inherited Porsche Shop Became Nearly $10M Fraud Scheme — 66 Victims, 21-Month Sentence

A federal judge in San Diego has quantified the fallout from a classic-car consignment business run with minimal oversight: $9,951,763.04 in restitution. U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler ordered Andrea Nicole Doherty to pay that sum to 66 identified victims after she admitted selling the same vintage Porsches to multiple buyers, forging a title transfer in another sale and personally pocketing more than $827,000. Doherty was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

How the Scheme Worked

Doherty, 38, inherited CPR Classic in Fallbrook, California, after her father died in 2021 and ran the shop as a sole proprietorship. The business restored and sold classic Porsches on consignment from a storefront, handling mechanical work and the paperwork required to transfer legal ownership. Because she never formed an LLC or other corporate entity, victims seeking recovery are effectively pursuing a single individual's assets rather than a separate corporate balance sheet.

Key Incidents Detailed in the Plea

Prosecutors and Doherty's plea agreement describe several specific transactions that illustrate how routine consignment practices were turned into fraud:

• 1973 Porsche 911E Targa: Sold to two different buyers without informing either and without paying the original seller. A later check to the seller bounced.
• 1972 Porsche 911S: Consigned in February 2023, sold to a buyer who wired $280,000 and took possession, but legal title was not transferred and the seller was not paid. In October 2023, Doherty sold the same car again for $275,000; part of those funds was then used to pay the original seller so the title could be transferred to the second buyer—leaving two buyers who paid for the same car and only one with clean paperwork.
• 1983 Porsche 930 Turbo Slantnose: Listed for $130,000 and sold without the owner’s knowledge or payment; Doherty forged the owner’s signature to complete the title transfer. The buyer did not learn of the fraud for more than a year.

"She took customers for a ride. Today, justice brought the trip to an end," U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said at sentencing.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily said the case is a warning about running a business on borrowed trust rather than lawful practice.

Investigation, Charges, And Sentence

California's Department of Motor Vehicles suspended CPR Classic's vehicle dealer license in September 2024; the business closed soon after. The FBI and the DMV's Criminal Investigations unit then expanded the probe, ultimately identifying 66 victims. In December 2025, Doherty pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343—a statute carrying up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count on paper—though the court imposed a 21-month sentence.

Restitution Vs. Recoverable Assets

The contrast between the roughly $827,000 Doherty admitted to pocketing and the nearly $10 million restitution order underscores a common feature of federal fraud cases: restitution can be calculated to include all victims tied to the scheme, not just the transactions named in charging documents. Practically speaking, collecting the full restitution amount depends on seized assets, future earnings, and recoveries through the Consumer Motor Vehicle Recovery Corporation, DMV complaint processes and civil claims—rarely a one-time lump-sum payout.

Why Consignment Creates Risk

The mechanics of classic-car consignment make such fraud possible. Dealers typically hold vehicles and control paperwork while seeking buyers; sellers hand over cars often worth six figures and trust dealers to find buyers, collect funds and forward payment. Without escrow accounts, independent verification or a neutral closing agent, nothing compelled Doherty to transfer title before accessing wired funds, nor prevented her from listing already-sold cars online.

Practical Advice For Sellers And Buyers

• Verify a dealer's license status directly with your state DMV before consigning or paying.
• Insist that title transfers only after funds have fully cleared (preferably via escrow or an independent closing agent).
• Avoid wiring large sums to individual dealers without contract protections or escrow arrangements.
• Keep careful records and demand receipts showing both payment and completed title transfer.

Conclusion

The three Porsches at the center of the case are now matters settled through federal court, but their ownership histories remain more complicated than they should be. Doherty's prison term ends the criminal prosecution, but it does little to guarantee full recovery for the 66 victims named in the restitution order.