A 24-year-old Kansas City man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly sold cars to several victims on Facebook Marketplace before he returned to steal them.
Per KCTV5, the Kansas City police said that eight stolen vehicle reports were filed with the department between May and June 2025, adding that the manner in which the crimes were committed was similar.
Authorities said that the suspect, identified as Mamadou Diallo, sold the cars to his victims on Facebook Marketplace with an online alias. Diallo, after a successful car sale, is said to have given his victims titles and bills of sale that seemed to be genuine.
But not too long after the completion of a sale, the buyers would contact the police to report that the car had been stolen, per authorities.
Though Diallo was ultimately linked to the crimes, he denied going on Facebook Marketplace to buy or sell vehicles when he was questioned by detectives.
On Tuesday, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced that Diallo has been slapped with 14 felony charges in connection with the crimes. Diallo is accused of defrauding at least 8 victims to the tune of $24,000, KCTV5 reported.
Per documents, Diallo is facing 6 counts of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and eight counts of forgery. The 24-year-old suspect can be sentenced to up to 98 years in prison if he’s found guilty of all counts.
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Diallo was still in custody at the time of this report, and his bond was set at $30,000 (cash-only). He also has other holds from the sheriff’s offices in Johnson County, Kansas; Johnson County, Missouri; and Platte County, Missouri.
In an interview with the news outlet, Johnson said that scammers are using Facebook Marketplace and other online platforms to defraud victims.
“As technology evolves, crime usually follows suit,” Johnson said. Johnson also cautioned people to be careful when engaging in transactions online.
“My message is to be careful,” Johnson said. “I’m not telling you do not engage in the practice. You just need to be smart. You need to be careful and you need to be diligent.”
Johnson further urged people to properly scrutinize offers before engaging with sellers. “There is a responsibility on our community,” Johnson said.
“I will never be in the business of victim shaming at all. However, we do not want to add to our victimization or contribute to our victimization. Is it fair? Absolutely not. But is it what this moment in time requires and calls for? Unfortunately, yes.”
People who have fallen victim to such crimes also spoke to KCTV5. They advised that when a buyer is interested in purchasing a vehicle from a seller on Facebook Marketplace, the VIN number should be checked, and a police station should be the meeting point for the transaction.
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