The phrase “Manny Khoshbin lawsuit” blends two unrelated matters. Court records confirm one real federal criminal case against Manuchehr “Manny” Khoshbin in the Central District of California (No. 8:25-cr-00026). He pleaded guilty to a single count in April 2025. The popular “$3.4 million car scam” story belongs to a different victim.
Two stories, one confused search term
Many people type “Manny Khoshbin lawsuit” and expect a single case. The reality splits into two separate tracks. One track is real and tied to Khoshbin. The other track is real but tied to someone else. A third version, pure invention, spread across low-quality blogs.
Here is the clean split:
- A verified federal criminal case names Khoshbin as the defendant.
- A verified fraud case over a Mercedes-AMG One names a different victim entirely.
- A fabricated “billionaire scammed for $3.4 million” story stitched the two together for clicks.
Let me sort each one.
The verified federal case: USA v. Manuchehr Khoshbin
This is the documented, primary-source part. Court records from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California confirm the core facts. The case sits in the Santa Ana division. Judge Fred W. Slaughter presides.
| Item | Court record |
|---|---|
| Case caption | USA v. Manuchehr Khoshbin |
| Case number | 8:25-cr-00026 (SACR 25-00026-FWS) |
| Court | C.D. Cal., Santa Ana |
| Charge document | Single-count Information, filed March 3, 2025 |
| Offense location | Orange County |
| Defendant year of birth | 1971 |
| Plea agreement | Filed March 3, 2025 |
| First arraignment | March 17, 2025 — not-guilty plea; released on personal recognizance |
| Passport | Surrendered to Pretrial Services on March 20, 2025 |
| Change of plea | April 17, 2025 — guilty to Count 1; Presentence Report ordered |
| Sentence date set | July 24, 2025, before Judge Slaughter |
| Prosecutor | AUSA Jennifer Waier |
| Defense counsel | Bram Alden and Steven Toscher (retained) |
The government charged Khoshbin with an information, not a grand jury indictment. That choice matters. A defendant must waive the right to a grand jury for a case to proceed by information. Prosecutors and defendants use this route when a plea deal is already in place. The same-day plea agreement fits that pattern.
Khoshbin first entered a not-guilty plea at arraignment. He then changed that plea to guilty on Count 1 on April 17, 2025. The court accepted the plea and ordered a Presentence Report. The court set the sentence date for July 24, 2025.
What the record does not show
Honesty matters here, especially for a story about a real person. Two important facts remain unconfirmed in the public sources reviewed for this article.
- The specific charge. Public docket entries label the count only as “Count 1” of a Single-Count Information. They do not describe the offense in plain language. No mainstream news outlet has published a verified account of the exact charge to date.
- The final sentence. The court set July 24, 2025, as the sentence date. The outcome of that date does not appear in the public sources reviewed here.
One docket detail offers a clue, not a conclusion. Steven Toscher joined the defense as retained counsel. Toscher is known for federal tax controversy work. That fact hints at a possible subject area. It does not prove the charge. Readers should treat the specific offense as unconfirmed until the information or plea agreement is pulled directly from PACER.
Some social media videos claim a sentence result. Treat those claims with caution. They cite no docket and no court document. A primary record settles this question, not a video title.
The Mercedes-AMG One scam belongs to a different buyer
This is the story most blogs got wrong. The real Mercedes-AMG One fraud hit Michael Mente, co-founder and CEO of the fashion retailer Revolve. Mente wanted the hypercar. A Colorado attorney told him a French dealer could source a build slot. Mente sent the money. The car never existed.
Federal court records place this case in the U.S. District Court of Colorado. Mente filed on February 18, 2025. He named Traveon Rogers, a Texas man, as the alleged con artist. He also named the attorney, Scott Oliver, who said he acted only as the transaction lawyer and knew nothing of the scheme. Automotive reporters noted Rogers faced a separate 2023 case over roughly $3.19 million from another buyer.
Khoshbin sits nowhere in this case. He ordered his own AMG One through legitimate channels. He simply expects delivery. That is the opposite of a fraud victim.
Why Khoshbin’s name got attached to someone else’s case
The answer is simple: search traffic. Khoshbin holds a large social media audience. His name draws far more searches than Mente’s. Some content sites took the real Mente fraud, swapped in Khoshbin’s name, and inflated the numbers. The result reads dramatic. The result is also false.
This pattern shows a wider problem in the “lawsuit” content niche. Thin sites chase famous names. They rarely check a docket. Readers deserve better.
Who is Manny Khoshbin?
Manny Khoshbin is a commercial real estate investor based in Orange County, California. He leads the Khoshbin Company. He built a large social media audience around real estate advice and a well-known supercar collection. His legal first name is Manuchehr. That name appears on the federal court record.
How to verify the case yourself
You do not need to rely on any blog, including this one. You can check the primary record. Here is the direct path.
- Open PACER for the U.S. District Court, Central District of California.
- Search the case number 8:25-cr-00026.
- Read docket entry #1 (the Information) for the exact charge.
- Read docket entry #6 (the plea agreement) for the agreed terms.
- Check entries after July 24, 2025, for the sentence.
Court records outrank social media rumors every time. The docket holds the facts. The comment section holds noise.
Key legal terms
Readers often stumble on the vocabulary. These short definitions help.
- Information: a formal charge document from a prosecutor. It replaces a grand jury indictment when the defendant waives that right.
- Indictment: a formal charge issued by a grand jury.
- Plea agreement: a deal between the government and the defendant. The defendant pleads guilty in exchange for agreed terms.
- Change of plea: the moment a defendant switches from not guilty to guilty.
- Personal recognizance: release without cash bail, based on a written promise to appear.
- Presentence Report: a document that guides the judge before the sentence.
FAQs
Is the Manny Khoshbin car scam story true?
No. The $3.4 million Mercedes-AMG One scam story does not belong to Khoshbin. The real victim was Michael Mente, CEO of Revolve. Khoshbin ordered his own AMG One through normal channels.
Did Manny Khoshbin plead guilty?
Yes. Court records show he pleaded guilty to a single count on April 17, 2025, in case 8:25-cr-00026.
What was Manny Khoshbin charged with?
The public docket does not state the specific offense in plain language. The exact charge remains unconfirmed until the information or plea agreement is read directly on PACER.
What court handled the Khoshbin case?
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana Division, handled the case. Judge Fred W. Slaughter presided.
Was Manny Khoshbin sentenced?
The court set a sentence date of July 24, 2025. The final sentence does not appear in the public sources reviewed for this article.
The bottom line
The “Manny Khoshbin lawsuit” story is really three stories in one. One is a verified federal criminal case with a guilty plea. One is a real car fraud case involving Michael Mente. Also, one is a fabrication that merged the two for traffic. Smart readers separate the three. The court docket settles the rest.
About this article’s sourcing: This report relies on primary court records from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (case 8:25-cr-00026) and on independent automotive news coverage of the Mente fraud case. Claims of fact carry a case name, number, and court. Unconfirmed points appear clearly labeled as such.
Sources
The facts above trace to these public records and reputable outlets.
Primary court records — federal case (USA v. Manuchehr Khoshbin, No. 8:25-cr-00026):
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California — cacd.uscourts.gov
- PACER federal docket lookup — pacer.uscourts.gov
- Public docket reference (case page) — PacerMonitor: USA v. Khoshbin
- Court calendar, Judge Fred W. Slaughter — change of plea, April 17, 2025 and sentence date, July 24, 2025
Independent coverage — Mercedes-AMG One fraud (Michael Mente / Traveon Rogers case):
- autoevolution — Billionaire CEO scammed for a Mercedes-AMG One
- Robb Report — Mercedes-AMG One hypercar $5.4 million alleged scam
- Jalopnik — Online retail CEO duped in alleged AMG One scam
- Road & Track — Mercedes-AMG One order was a $5.4 million scam, suit claims
Disclaimer: This article shares public-record information for general knowledge. It is not legal advice. Case details can change after publication. Always confirm current status on PACER or with a licensed attorney.
Musarat Bano is a content writer for JudicialOcean.com who covers lawsuits, legal news, and general legal topics. Her work focuses on research-based, informational content developed from publicly available sources and is intended to support public awareness. She does not provide legal advice or professional legal services.
