Second-hand car dealer ‘ran BMW cloning gang that made £3million by selling the high-end motors abroad’
- Used car dealer Peter Clarkson, 46, is alleged to have been in charge of the car cloning gang
- The ‘complex organized crime plan’ was carried out with the help of four others
- The five men appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court today
A second-hand car dealer allegedly headed a BMW car cloning ring has been accused of defrauding him of £3 million by selling the luxury motors abroad, a court heard.
Dealer Peter Clarkson, 46, is said to have run an ‘organized complex’ crime Scheme’ for almost four years with the help of Dean Barguss, William Dove, James Murphy and Lee Davey.
Prosecutors say Clarkson began using fake documents in March 2019 to trick BMW dealers across the country into selling 114 models of the luxury car at a lower price.
He is accused of contacting Barguss, 36, and Dove, 40, who allegedly retrieved the cars’ keys — described in the indictment as “cloned” keys.
Murphy, 44, and Davey, 33, are believed to have been involved in the disposal of the cars, in some cases abroad.
Used car dealer Peter Clarkson allegedly headed a BMW car cloning ring accused of defrauding £3 million by selling the high-performance engines abroad
The 46-year-old is alleged to have run a ‘complex organized crime scheme’ for almost four years with the help of Dean Barguss (left), 36, William Dove (right), 40, and two others
James Murphy (left), 44, and Lee Davey (right), 33, pictured at Croydon Magistrates’ Court, where they joined the others to confirm their names, ages and dates of birth
Prosecutors say the conspiracy lasted from March 2019 to January 2022.
Keshia Denny’s prosecutor said: ‘The main defendant in this case is Mr Clarkson. He had worked very closely with Mr. Dove. Mr Clarkson is said to have provided Mr Dove with invoices for the vehicles.
“It is Mr Dove’s bank accounts that have been attributed to the funds received in this case. Mr. Clarkson uses Mr. Dove to carry out complex organized crime.”
Murphy, Clarkson, Davey, Dove and Barguss appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court today and spoke to confirm their names, ages and dates of birth.
Magistrate Stephen Roberts granted them bail to appear at Inner London Crown Court on July 3.
Clarkson and Murphy, both from Minster-on-Sea, Kent and Dove from Brockley South East London, are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.
Davey, from Camberwell, south London, and Barguss, from Ashford, Kent, are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.
