Adam Levine is suing a classic car dealer for allegedly selling him a fake Maserati.
As reported by the New York Post, Levine has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that high-end car dealer Rick Cole duped him in buying a fake 1971 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 Liter Spyder.
In January 2021, Levine sold two of his classic Ferraris, a 1972 365 and a 1968 365, in exchange for the 1971 Maserati and $100,000 cash. The Maroon 5 star made the purchase under the impression that the rare car was one of only 25 1971 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 Liter Spyders ever produced.
“Cole purported to have found an authentic Maserati Ghibli 4.9 Liter Spyder that he described as being ‘as good’ as an authentic Maserati Ghibli 4.9 Liter Spyder with a clear and indisputable identity that a representative of the Trust had seen and drove in Monterey a year or so earlier, and which was valued at over $1 million,” the lawsuit stated.
Levine discovered his Maserati wasn’t authentic after trying to sell the car to New York dealer Autosport Designs, who confirmed that Rick Cole’s dealership had sold a car with the same VIN number long before its deal with Levine.
“After the questioning of the authenticity of the vehicle at [the 2015 auction], someone tried to make the vehicle appear authentic by reproducing or stamping a new chassis plate to make the writing seem more like that used by Maserati at the time, in an obvious attempt to convince a potential buyer” the lawsuit read. “Upon information and belief, it was Cole and/or his agents who made these changes.”
Levine is seeking to recoup the full purchase price of $850,000. However, Cole has refused to repay the pop star for the alleged fake 1971 Maserati.
