Dallas car dealership owner disputes fraud claims after vehicle repossessions

DALLAS - Dallas Police say there’s a vast number of people affected, and there is a pattern of the suspect illegally repossessing vehicles. One of those families reached out to FOX 4. So, we took questions to the owner.

What we know:

"You do not believe there was anything criminal that you did?" FOX 4's David Sentendrey asked.

Rafat Abu Alfilat, owner of 101 Financial, LLC, a vehicle dealership off Joe Field Road and Harry Hines Boulevard, says he disputes the allegations of fraud against him.

"Why have the police not shut him down, yet?" Jaszmyne Lyons and her husband believe differently.

"Why is he still out and able to do this?" Billy Lyons says. (Jaszmyne: For years). "For years."

In March of 2025, the couple purchased a 2019 Gray Tesla valued at $18,200. They put $5,000 down with the dealership that only does ‘in-house financing,’ meaning the dealership acts as a bank and controls rights to the vehicle until it’s paid off. 

"We put the money down and we worked hard for it," Billy Lyons says.

According to an arrest warrant, Abu Alfilat had her Tesla repossessed for a financing contract violation of "no insurance."

"We thought the car was stolen. We called the police station. They said the car wasn’t stolen — it was reported as a repo," Billy Lyons says.

Dallas Police, however, say Lyons "had valid insurance and provided that documentation." 

Lyons went to get her Tesla back but Abu Alfilat "threatened to have her criminally trespassed from his property," according to an arrest warrant.

"After that, we had to basically come up with more money again on top of what we already had to give him and get another car," Jaszmyne Lyons says.

Dig deeper:

A detective uncovered the Tesla "had been called in as repossessed six different times" in one year. An arrest warrant issued for Alfilat claims a "detective can prove a pattern of [Abu Alfilat] illegally repossessing vehicles from multiple different complainants." 

"Now I know that we not the only person getting done like this and I know we’re not crazy," Billy Lyons says.

Police say the alleged vehicle thefts value more than $200,000 ($206,941.75). In April 2025, Dallas Police issued a felony theft arrest warrant for Abu Alfilat. Police also issued a felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon arrest warrant, alleging Abu Alfilat punched a man "on his face" and swung a hammer at him. That man reportedly showed up to the dealership to talk "about getting his car back which had been repossessed." 

Still, 18 months later, there’s been no movement in the criminal courts. 

In a statement to FOX 4, Dallas PD says: "Formal charges are still pending due to the vast amount of people affected and the additional investigating that is still taking place." The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office says: "It is being reviewed for possible prosecution.

"We’re dealing with this now almost a year later, still, to this day," Billy Lyons says.

The other side:

101 Financial, LLC is still operating. We showed up and spoke with the owner, Abu Alfilat, on September 30. 

"Do you want to step out and do an interview with us?" FOX 4’s David Sentendrey asked Alfilat.

He chose to not get out of his vehicle for a formal interview, but we talked for 20 minutes. 

"We’re going off of what the police documents say," Sentendrey said.

He says he will sit down with FOX 4, and his attorney, in the future. He believes these are civil matters, nothing criminal.  

 "When they sit here and talk about the police, they come here all the time because of the customers," says Kendral Pickett, the Regional Manager for 101 Financial, LLC. "You know the customers, they’re mad, their car got picked up for this or that."

Pickett believes this all comes down to customers not following strict in-house financing agreements. 

 "They say a lot of things but then when you go by the contract they turn around and everything comes out true. If that’s the case he’s been running this business for seven years…If they had proof or anything he would’ve been shut down," Pickett continued.

 "They’re just targeting him because they see that he’s out here doing stuff that a lot of dealerships isn’t doing. There’s no I.D. no credit, you can come in here and you can get a car and just leave without any stipulations, zero interest, you know?"

What's next:

As for the Lyons family?

"I wish it didn’t happen, but I hope it don’t happen to other people," Billy Lyons says. 

They reached out to FOX 4 to share a message while awaiting a resolution.

"And please do your research on that car lot. Any car lot you go to," Jaszmyne Lyons says.

We’ve reached out to attorney Scott Palmer, who represents the dealership’s owner, but he wasn’t immediately able to respond, citing a trial he was tied up with.

We’ve also reached out to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

The dealership’s license is still active, but the police affidavit signed last year says at the time, there were more than 27 complaints against Alfilat over the issue of repossessing vehicles.

TxDMV released the following statement to FOX 4:

"We cannot discuss details of open investigations, but I can confirm that the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) currently has active cases involving this licensee. TxDMV has administrative authority over licensed auto dealers, investigates consumer complaints, and may impose civil penalties or other sanctions when violations are substantiated. Penalties vary based on the nature of the violation, the facts of the case, the dealer’s prior history, any harm to consumers, and any steps the dealer has taken to mitigate or remedy that harm.

Consumers who experience a problem with a licensed Texas dealer may file a complaint with TxDMV at www.TxDMV.gov/complaints." (edited) 

DallasCrime and Public Safety