Defendant also ordered to repay full restitution after years of deceptive business practices
An Arizona-based auto mechanic has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison and ordered to pay over $1.37 million in restitution after orchestrating a years-long fraud scheme that victimized numerous individuals, including a Missouri resident. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri announced the sentencing last week, detailing the extent of the mechanic’s deceptive conduct and financial exploitation.
Andres “Manny” Lopez, 37, operated under the business name All Performance Tuning and Diesel Repair LLC, and beginning in November 2019, he systematically defrauded clients by accepting large payments for vehicles, performance upgrades, and auto parts—services he either never intended to fulfill or never delivered. According to court documents and statements from federal prosecutors, Lopez not only failed to provide the goods and services promised but in some cases actively damaged client vehicles or loaned them out to others without their owners’ knowledge or approval.
Among the victims was a Missouri man who had intended to purchase a Toyota RAV4 as a gift for his mother. He wired $45,000 to Lopez based on assurances that the vehicle had been acquired and was ready for delivery. Lopez then strung the customer along with a series of fabricated excuses, blaming delays on alleged product recalls and other issues. In a particularly egregious deception, Lopez even impersonated a Florida Toyota dealership’s general manager, using text messages to communicate false information directly to the victim’s mother.
Despite being indicted in October 2023 for wire fraud, Lopez continued his pattern of criminal behavior. Prosecutors revealed that while out on bond, Lopez defrauded yet another individual, extracting approximately $567,892 through similar false representations and promises that ultimately went unfulfilled.
Investigators believe that the money Lopez collected from his victims was not used for business expenses but rather to fund his personal lifestyle, highlighting the calculated and self-serving nature of the scheme.
In February 2025, Lopez formally pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. His guilty plea acknowledged the systematic manipulation he employed to deceive his customers over several years.
One victim submitted a heartfelt letter to the court, describing Lopez’s long-running manipulation tactics:
“Promise… then a reason why I cannot meet that promise… then a new promise… then repeat the string (for years).”
U.S. District Judge sentenced Lopez to 33 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay a total of $1.37 million in restitution to his victims.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker, who oversaw the investigation from the St. Louis Division, emphasized the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct:
“For years, Andres Lopez lied to customers to line his own pockets. The lies and manipulation continued even after he had been charged for the crime and released on bond. Today, Lopez earned every day of his prison sentence for victimizing people with his fraudulent business practices.”
The investigation into Lopez’s activities was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman.
This case serves as a stark reminder of how even trusted service providers can exploit customers through elaborate deception, and how federal authorities are prepared to pursue justice for victims of financial fraud, regardless of how long the scheme persists.