A Newport Beach rental company says it has been left reeling after four of its compact Moke-style buggies, worth more than $200,000, allegedly vanished in what appears to be a carefully orchestrated scam tied to pop star Justin Bieber.
Newport Beach Moke co-owner Chad Mara told The California Post the trouble began when a man identifying himself only as “Alen” came forward with a rushed, high-profile request: four vehicles for a 10-day rental, allegedly to shuttle pop star Justin Bieber around the Coachella festival grounds.At first, Mara said, everything seemed to check out.
He was told the vehicles were needed by a group connected to Bieber’s entourage, even referencing Bieber’s young son. “Kids love Mokes,” he said, explaining that this detail helped convince them the booking was real.
“You think you’re doing the right thing for someone and it ends up being a fraud,” Mara said.
Despite the red flags and the last-minute nature of the request, the company moved forward and prepared the vehicles.
According to Mara, a person claiming to be Alen’s assistant later arrived to collect the keys, and the four Mokes were delivered to a Palm Desert address near the festival.
At one point, Mara’s wife spoke by phone with the renter, who was reportedly intoxicated and surrounded by loud music.
He insisted he was at Coachella and said everything, including the vehicles, was fine.
Mara said he later contacted the California Highway Patrol as the vehicles continued moving, but was told officers would “be on the lookout.”
He expressed frustration, saying the vehicles were traveling on open trails and were “easily spot-able.”
In addition to a green and pink car, the Maras reported the theft of two white vehicles.
Mara explained that although a $20,000 deposit was part of the booking, the payment was never received. The scammers claimed the wire transfer would arrive the following morning because the booking occurred late in the day.
Tracking data later showed the vehicles traveling south toward the US-Mexico border before their GPS signals were disabled entirely.
“They’ve destroyed any kind of GPS on the cars and they’re now on the other side of the border,” Mara said.
He added that the vehicles are now in Mexico and may already have been altered.
“Do I believe we have been targeted? Yes,” he said.
Co-owner Sadie Mara said the ordeal has left her family shaken and increasingly convinced they were targeted in a coordinated operation.
“I just feel so violated,” she told The California Post, adding, “I’m wondering if it’s a car ring.”
She said the family is now uneasy, noting, “I don’t know how long they’ve been watching us.”Sadie described the scheme as highly sophisticated, calling it “a very professional, well-thought out heist.”
She also said the suspects appeared to be using a fake business website to make the operation seem legitimate, referencing https://deserthospitalitygroup.com/.Sadie noted that when they searched for “Alen,” only older men appeared in online results, while the person they dealt with was a younger man.She also said a tow truck appeared to be staged and waiting for “Alen,” further reinforcing her belief that the operation was planned in advance.
Sadie added that law enforcement advised them to stop actively pursuing the case themselves.She said officers also mentioned the possibility, unconfirmed, that the incident could be connected to “the Mexican cartel,” though she emphasized this has not been verified.The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed it is investigating the incident.
Authorities have not confirmed any connection to Bieber or any organized crime group, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged scam remain under investigation.
