---
title: "Remember That Burned Tesla Model X on a Frozen Lake? Its Owner Was Just Charged With Federal Fraud"
description: "Talk about a twist ending."
date: "2021-09-04"
modified: "2021-09-04"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin V. Shaw"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kristin-shaw"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/42250/remember-that-burned-tesla-model-x-on-a-frozen-lake-its-owner-was-just-charged-with-federal-fraud"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Electric Vehicles"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Tesla News"
tags:
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "luxury"
  - "model x"
  - "suv/crossover"
  - "Tesla"
---

# Remember That Burned Tesla Model X on a Frozen Lake? Its Owner Was Just Charged With Federal Fraud

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2021/09/Tesla-burned-HERO.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

[In February of 2019, an unexpected ornament adorned the frozen surface of Lake Champlain](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/26715/this-burned-up-tesla-model-x-on-ice-is-vermonts-hottest-new-attraction>) in Vermont: a Tesla Model X, burned to an extra-crispy shell. According [to local Vermont news site WCAX](<https://www.wcax.com/content/news/Remains-of-toasted-Tesla-hauled-to-shore-506565671.html>), a man identified by police as Michael A. Gonzalez claimed he drove the vehicle onto a frozen patch of Shelburne Bay to go ice fishing.

No one knows for sure, but Gonazlez may have hit a rock and the [Tesla](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/38976/tesla-site-code-shows-that-refreshed-model-s-x-might-not-get-the-yoke-steering-wheel>) ended up a toasty fireball; even then it barely made a dent in the thick ice. Within days of the Model X spontaneously catching fire on the lake (some [Tesla Motors Club forum commenters](<https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/3424885/>) blame the Lake Champlain Monster, whatever that is) a [flatbed truck was dispatched](<https://www.wcax.com/content/news/Remains-of-toasted-Tesla-hauled-to-shore-506565671.html>) to haul the carcass away. By that time, [the Model X](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37809/a-researcher-discovered-how-to-steal-a-tesla-model-x-with-this-90-second-hack>) looked like Wile E. Coyote after Roadrunner blew him up with TNT for the hundredth time. That news all by itself is odd enough, but here’s the follow-up story we didn’t see coming: a federal indictment unsealed recently states that Gonzalez allegedly helmed the heist of several Model Xs worth a total of $607,000.

![message-editor%2F1630721308271-teslaburnedinline1.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1630721308271-teslaburnedinline1.jpg>)
**AP Images**

Here’s what happened, according to the [indictment on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the State of Vermont](<https://www.justice.gov/usao-vt/pr/michael-gonzalez-indicted-stealing-five-tesla-vehicles-worth-over-600000-including-tesla>):

“Between September 2018 and January 2021, Gonzalez obtained five Tesla vehicles worth a total of approximately $607,000 from dealerships in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Florida. For each vehicle, Gonzalez made an initial payment of approximately $2,500, and then arranged for electronic funds transfers to cover the balance of the vehicle’s price from accounts with insufficient funds or from fictitious accounts.

The statement continued: “Gonzalez took delivery of the vehicles from Tesla before Tesla discovered his failure to complete the final payments. Gonzalez resold or attempted to resell four of the five vehicles. Gonzalez was never issued the necessary paperwork to resell the fifth vehicle, which subsequently burned on a frozen portion of Shelburne Bay on February 24, 2019. Gonzalez attempted to claim insurance funds for the value of this burned Tesla, but the insurance claim was denied.”

![message-editor%2F1630721712658-teslaburnedinline2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1630721712658-teslaburnedinline2.jpg>)
**[WCAX.com screencap](<https://www.wcax.com/content/news/Toasted-Tesla-sits-on-frozen-Shelburne-Bay-506511571.html?fbclid=IwAR34NdDQxJRX6mgyMCu-EMLoYyxDIvvJQiuiejELgMKm-qExL1n0FoZicQg>)**

Vermont independent news blog [*Seven Days* reported](<https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2021/08/27/driver-of-scorched-tesla-indicted-for-stealing-five-cars>) that Gonzalez made a reservation for his fourth Tesla Model X for $136,710 with someone else’s driver’s license in March 2019. Then he allegedly registered the car with the Vermont DMV and transferred the title to his own name. Here’s a detail that makes you say “huh?” – he allegedly claimed he traded a 2013 Kia Optima valued at $8,200 for the Tesla, then flipped it on eBay for nearly $100,000. Nice work if you can get it. However, getting caught comes with a bonus of up to 10 years per violation for illegal possession and sale of a boosted car.

On the indictment, [the Acting U.S. Attorney noted that the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.](<https://www.justice.gov/usao-vt/pr/michael-gonzalez-indicted-stealing-five-tesla-vehicles-worth-over-600000-including-tesla>) And at this juncture, [Gonzalez has pleaded not guilty](<https://vtdigger.org/2021/08/31/vermont-man-accused-in-tesla-scheme-including-one-found-burned-out-on-frozen-lake/>).

*Got a tip? Send the writer a note: kristin.shaw@thedrive.com*

## Author
Kristin Shaw is the former Weekend Editor for The Drive and a current freelancer in both the automotive and aviation worlds. She’s a big fan of anything car-related and calls on her technology background on the corporate side to explain engineering and high-tech concepts. Now living in her sixth state (New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, and now Texas), she is thrilled that working from home is now mainstream.

### Author social links  
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