In a bold and bizarre alleged fraud scheme, a 24-year-old Missouri man is now facing the possibility of nearly a century behind bars. Mamadou Diallo of Kansas City was arrested and charged with 14 felony counts, including multiple instances of stealing and related fraud offenses, after authorities say he repeatedly sold vehicles to unsuspecting buyers on Facebook Marketplace only to reclaim them shortly after the sales.
According to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, the incidents occurred between May 14 and June 14, 2025. Police received eight reports of stolen vehicles that followed a strikingly similar pattern. In each case, buyers connected with a seller using an online alias on Facebook Marketplace. The seller—later identified as Diallo—arranged in-person meetups where he handed over what appeared to be valid titles and bills of sale. Buyers paid cash, often thousands of dollars, believing they had secured legitimate deals on cars like a 2013 gray Honda Civic or a 2013 brown Buick Verano.
However, within days—or sometimes sooner—the vehicles vanished from the new owners' possession. Each buyer reported their "new" car as stolen, triggering investigations that linked the cases back to Diallo. Prosecutors allege he used tracking methods or other means to locate and repossess the vehicles, effectively defrauding at least eight victims out of more than $24,000.
The scheme's audacity has drawn widespread attention, highlighting ongoing risks in online marketplaces where trust often hinges on brief interactions and digital listings. Facebook Marketplace has become a popular platform for vehicle sales due to its accessibility, but cases like this underscore the importance of verifying titles through official channels, conducting thorough inspections, and avoiding cash-only deals without secure documentation.
Diallo now faces serious consequences: each of the 14 felony charges carries a potential maximum sentence of seven years, totaling up to 98 years if he is convicted on every count. The case serves as a stark reminder of how creative criminal tactics can exploit everyday online transactions, leaving victims financially devastated and authorities piecing together elaborate deceptions.
While Diallo is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the allegations—if substantiated—represent one of the more elaborate "sell-and-steal" scams reported in recent years. Buyers are urged to exercise extreme caution: always run vehicle history reports, meet at secure locations, and ensure titles are properly transferred through the DMV before handing over payment. In the digital age, a too-good-to-be-true deal on Facebook Marketplace might just be the start of a costly nightmare.