Critical Bandit Tow Truck Ransoming Altadena Fire Victim's Cars Most Likely Identified

The Legal Lens has most likely identified one of the bandit tow trucks featured in ABC's story, "Officials warn of tow-truck scam targeting Eaton Fire victims". According to ABC, after the devastation of the fires, these tow trucks told victims that they were contracted by Altadena officials to help tow cars. But the cars would be towed to hidden locations and then ransomed for over $3,000. (Disclaimer: Identification of the Altadena bandit tow truck is not conclusive until verified by the government, and all accused are presumed innocent until otherwise.)

On September 26, 2024 - on the Pasadena Freeway, 210 West - Elder Arambula, college athlete, was involved in a similar scandal. After a serious car crash on the freeway, a similar tow truck featured on the ABC story came literally 5 to 10 minutes later. The driver told him that Toytoa and Allstate partnered together to tow his truck for free because of the collision. The Prius was then stored at Stanton, California. Arambula attempted to pick up his car on the weekend, but the manager of Cyrus Towing, Daniella Sulllivan "Dee Dee" told him not to worry about the fees. 

But four days after the accident, she charged around $1,700. Dee Dee ransomed the car and threatened that she would take title to it, if he didn't pay. Cyrus Towing and Dee Dee appeared interested in Prius and Teslas in particular. Other victims have said their hybrids and electric cars were also targeted.

After an investigation of the incident, Arambula believes that the tow trucker owner hired a professional car crasher to collide into him, and that same professional car crasher then called the tow truck to pick up his Prius. Arambula has suffered with four herniated discs from the crash.

Arambula took a photo of the tow truck, and the Legal Lens team has matched it to the photo of the tow truck featured in the ABC story.

The owner and driver behind the tow truck that allegedly defrauded Arambula is Amir Eftekhari, an Iranian national. Eftekhari's preying ground appears to be the Pasadena and Altadena vicinity. He lives in Monrovia. Eftekhari has been sued around 60 times and has recently came out of bankruptcy to discharge a majority of his debts. Eftekhari has also expunged his criminal conviction of driving a commercial vehicle without a proper license.

Former employee of Cyrus Towing, Vinny Smith, on the record, has identified the car crasher as an employee of Cyrus Towing. Smith said that  Espiridion Mendietamorante goes by the monkider of "Delta". Smith recalled that at least one car he picked up was crashed in a similar manner to Arambula's.

Smith also alleges that the Iranian national has a long history of problems with Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE"). This is relevant to the story, in so far as the fact that terrorist and organized crime expert, Loretta Napoleoni states that money from such operations go back to the government state. Hence, in this case, the fraud money may be going back to the State of Iran.

It appears that Arambula's car crash and evidence has triggered a probe with the Department of Insurance and California Highway Patrol. According to Google Reviews and Yelp, it appears that Cyrus Towing is no longer in business. The Department of Transportation states that Eftekhari's tow truck is only licensed for private tows.

That doesn't mean, however, that Eftekahri is still not targeting and preying on the property of vulnerable victims. Another concerning aspect to this story, is that the circumstantial evidence and a recent expert opinion suggests that the Altadena CHP station may be receiving a kickback for these tows. According to video evidence of Dee Dee, the Altadena CHP call Eftekhari regarding which cars have crashed. According to Smith, for every car successfully impounded, Smith alleges that the officer and other spotters receives a $500 kickback. 

The Legal Lens has obtained more evidence today, article to come, that strongly suggests the Altadena CHP is working with these bandit tow truck owners to facilitate these predatory tow-and-impound scams.

Nonetheless, the clearest identifying unique factor that matches both the ABC's photo and Arambuala's photo of the bandit tow truck is the cruelty behind the predatory scheme. Eftekhari, Sullivan, and Mendietamorante would fit the match for that level of reprehensibility.

When asked to comment about Eftekhari, Arambula stated, "We need him [Eftekahri] to face justice against every innocent human being that he harmed and pay his time."