San Francisco – The owner of a Marin County luxury car consignment service, Dawydiak, has been sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion, court records reveal. Dawydiak, 65, is currently serving his sentence at USP Lompoc and is expected to be released next month. The sentencing took place last year, and Dawydiak will also be subject to a three-year supervised release term upon his release from prison.
Dawydiak had deceived clients for years by misrepresenting the sale prices of their cars and pocketing the difference. Additionally, he evaded payroll taxes, according to federal prosecutors. However, after his fraudulent activities were uncovered, Dawydiak cooperated with the federal government to determine the extent of his fraud. The investigation revealed that he owed approximately $541,864 in restitution. Although Dawydiak acknowledged that there were between 100 to 500 victims, the lack of proper record-keeping prevented an exact count, prosecutors stated.
In a letter of apology to the court, Dawydiak expressed deep regret for the harm he caused and acknowledged that he can no longer justify his actions. He admitted to previously believing that dishonesty was an accepted part of the industry he worked in, but now recognizes that it was no excuse. Dawydiak claimed to have learned from his experience, stating that he has become a better person and businessman as a result.
Dawydiak’s defense attorney commended his client for building his business, Cars Dawydiak, which initially operated from a small taxi stand and eventually employed 20 individuals at its Marin County showroom. Interestingly, Dawydiak’s journey as a businessman began after he turned his life around following an arrest for auto theft at the age of 17, as mentioned in the defense sentencing memo.
Dawydiak faced a maximum sentence of 20 years for the mail fraud charge and five years for tax evasion. Federal prosecutors accepted his apology, acknowledging the sincerity of his regret and his efforts to rectify the situation.
