After EL TIEMPO’s revelation that Ferrari customers in Colombia claim that neither the money nor the cars for which they have already paid millions in installments are appearing, new details of the scandal continue to emerge.
Despite the letters exchanged arguing that these are commercial breaches that are being reviewed, several of the buyers and now alleged victims of the exclusive showroom, located in northern Bogotá, announce that they will resort to legal action to recover the millions of sums they managed to disburse as an advance payment for the vehicles.
The Businessmen
EL TIEMPO investigated and established that the company authorized in the country by Ferrari to market its vehicles is Autos Italianos de Colombia S.A., a company with its parent company in Panama.
The alternate representative of the firm in Bogotá is the Colombian Henry Ávila, who told clients that he was no longer a director of the firm and recommended that they seek lawyers to recover their money. And he assured EL TIEMPO that he was never a partner in that dealership.
Indeed, according to documents held by EL TIEMPO, the directors of Autos Italianos de Colombia are the Mexican businessmen Sergio de la Vega and Erik Stolberg Fernández, and the Colombian Jorge Enrique Carvajales Orozco.
The latter was president of Reficar between 2006 and 2008. In fact, he was called for questioning regarding the case of cost overruns in the modernization of the refinery.
EL TIEMPO called his cell phone and the person who answered said that they had transmitted the questions sent to him, but they have not yet been answered.
The Millionaire Loan
In a letter known to this newspaper and sent to clients by the new administration of Autos Italianos de Colombia, it is stated that behind Ferrari’s decision to revoke the concession from Autos Italianos de Colombia, there is a millionaire loan that the partners of the latter requested from them.
The document states that in October 2024, the business group Autos de Alta Gama Holdings Inc., granted a loan with a chattel mortgage in favor of Italian Motors Holdings S.A., owner of Automóviles Italianos de Panamá S.A., and Autos Italianos de Colombia S.A., companies that at that time were and had been Ferrari distributors in Panama and Colombia for more than 10 years.
Furthermore, due to the impossibility of paying the loan, on May 25, 2026, Italian Motors Holdings transferred the aforementioned shares to Autos de Alta Gama Holdings Inc. as payment, so, from that date, said company assumed ownership of Autos Italianos de Colombia S.A. and its subsidiary in Panama.
That unauthorized change of hands led to Ferrari’s decision.
The most worrying thing for the brand’s customers is that in the same letter they assure that it is not possible to assume concrete commitments regarding specific dates, results, or forms of attention until the corresponding document review is completed and information is available.
In fact, they assured that they found financial, operational, and documentary situations that require a complete and detailed review, including inconsistencies related to the previous administration.
Experts told EL TIEMPO that while the number of affected parties is not large, the amount is significant because each car costs taxes and customizations.
The Next Step
Despite the explanations and letters, several of those affected told EL TIEMPO that they have already given power of attorney to reputable lawyers to file complaints with the Prosecutor’s Office.
According to them, actions such as conspiracy to commit a crime and aggravated fraud could be typified, and even alleged money laundering is not ruled out.
(Consult all articles from EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit here)
Furthermore, they indicated that they have already approached the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce to file consumer protection requests.
What is known for now is that Ferrari North America sent a statement to its clients in Colombia assuring them that they are looking for a new dealership.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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