Two men were arrested after they attempted to fraudulently purchase a vehicle from a Tesla dealership in West Knoxville. 

On Thursday, May 21, 2026, Knoxville Police Department Property Crimes Detectives learned an individual was attempting to buy a 2026 Tesla Model S online from the Tesla dealership on Montvue Road. During the investigation, detectives learned the account associated with the purchase was linked to prior fraudulent transactions. Additionally, the driver’s license number provided did not match the photo submitted by the buyer for vehicle pickup. 

On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the suspects, identified as 22-year-old Kaiheng Ding and 25-year-old Yaoxu Zhou, both of Virginia, arranged to pick up the vehicle from the dealership.

Zhou completed purchase paperwork using a fraudulent Delaware driver’s license and obtained a key to the new vehicle. Officers arrested Zhou and Ding as they exited the dealership without incident.

Further investigation revealed Zhou and Ding drove to Knoxville in a Tesla that had been fraudulently purchased in Maryland and was reported stolen. 

Both Zhou and Ding have been charged with two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, computer crime and identity theft.