Sales manager accused of embezzling $250k from Las Vegas car dealership
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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - A sales manager at a Las Vegas car dealership is accused of embezzling $250,000 from the business because he had a gambling problem, according to an arrest warrant from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.
Michael Sims, 51, is accused of embezzling the money from Cardinale Way Acura at 7000 W. Sahara Ave. starting in 2020. Sims was hired by the dealership in Dec. 2019.
On March 19, 2021, the general manager of the dealership filed a report with police about Sims, claiming he investigated Sims for embezzlement. The GM said Sims was taking cash down payments, writing receipts out of a receipt book and keeping the cash, the report said. The customers had receipts for cash paid but computer did not; some cars were sold but marked as unsold in computer, the report said.
Sims eventually admitted to hiding the contracts, the GM told police, and Sims said “he had screwed up his whole life,” the report said. The GM fired Sims shortly after.
In total, the Cardinale Way Acura dealership lost more than $255,000, the report said.
Sims told supervisors that he stole the money “because he had a gambling problem,” the report said. Records with Golden Gaming showed that Sims had played approximately $35,000 at PT’s bars across the area in three months time.
Sims provided 10 car sales he stole from and said he had more hiding at home; eventually, he brought 14 more deals from sales that he stole cash from, the report said.
After he was fired, Sims reportedly contacted some clients to try and complete deals, the arrest warrant said. Sims didn’t get back to police when they tried to interview him last June.
Sims was arrested May 12, 2022 at St. Rose Siena Hospital after he got into a car accident and was admitted.
