Celeb-loved Ferrari mechanic who has worked with stars including Jay Leno is charged with trying to sell two supercars he did not own, as serial-criminal past is revealed

A well-known Ferrari mechanic who has performed alongside celebrities such as Jay Leno was jailed earlier this month for trying to sell a vintage car it is claimed he never owned.

Donnie Callaway, 60, restores and maintains the Italian sports cars popular social media presencewith nearly 200,000 followers watching his work on the old school vehicles and often bragging about buying works of art and living a lavish lifestyle.

The supposed ‘Ferrari savant’ even appeared on an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, where Jay allowed him to buy and restore a car he’s dreamed of owning since childhood, but it appears he’s also a career criminal and possibly a fraudster.

He was arrested April 1 in Arizona on charges that he tried to sell a Ferrari Daytona and Ferrari 512BB to a collector without actually owning them.

On his Instagram account, Callaway was working on a 512BB in his most recent posts.

He was arrested April 1 in Arizona on charges that he tried to sell a Ferrari Daytona and Ferrari 512BB to a collector without actually owning them. On his Instagram account, Callaway was working on a 512BB in his most recent posts

Following an apparent sting operation set up by the potential buyer, he was arrested, according to sheriffs The Mercury News.

He was jailed and charged with theft, dealing in stolen property, forgery and fraud, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Callaway is being held on a $400,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on April 17.

While his reputation is considered good by some in the mechanic community, there had been complaints about his rates, including a $130,000 job on a Ferrari 328 in 2023, leading the customer to say he “should be MESSED” because of the ” monstrously high prices.

A anonymous Instagram account began taunting Callaway, describing him as a “con-man mechanic” whose goal is to “take your car apart and never put it back together again.”

Callaway’s arrest led to the revelation of a previous criminal record dating back decades.

He was convicted of burglary in 2001 and also indicted on multiple theft and fraud charges.

In 2003, he was convicted of theft and possession of a controlled substance before being found guilty of domestic violence in 2006.

The alleged ‘Ferrari savant’ even appeared on an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, where Jay allowed him to buy and restore a car he’s dreamed of owning since childhood, but it appears he’s also a career criminal and possibly a fraudster.

Callaway (pictured left) was jailed and charged with theft, dealing in stolen property, forgery and fraud, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office

In 2012, he was convicted again, this time of both perjury and extortion.

He’ll likely face more legal trouble (at least one other lawsuit and a legal declaration) for selling cars he didn’t own in the first place, beyond this Arizona case.

Thomas Shaughnessy, a consultant and historian on Ferraris, submitted to the California Superior Court that Callaway tried to sell a Ferrari Monza that did not belong to him at a Paris auto show.

The statement may be related to a separate lawsuit Callaway is facing in the San Diego area.

A Belgian man named Arthur Teerlynck sued him last August for unfair trade practices, breach of contract, fraud and violations of California’s Automotive Repair Act.

It is alleged he overpaid to restore a 1973 Ferrari Daytona worth $950,000, a 1961 Maserati 3500 Spyder Vignale worth $825,000, a 1986 Ferrari 328 worth $100,000 and a Rolls-Royce Flying 1995 Spur worth $40,000.

Teerlynck claims that he paid $1.46 million to Callaway for services for which he was not licensed, and that he also wrongfully took control of Terrlynck’s cars and attempted to hide them from him.

Perhaps most scandalous, Callaway is accused of putting parts into a $200,000 Ferrari Testarossa intended to cause the engine to fail on purpose, and then posting on Instagram about how damaged it was.

Callaway is likely to face more legal trouble — at least one other lawsuit and a legal declaration — for selling cars he didn’t own in the first place beyond this Arizona case

A Belgian man named Arthur Teerlynck sued Callaway last August for unfair trade practices, breach of contract, fraud and violations of California’s Automotive Repair Act

Teerlynck is seeking compensation and damages through a jury trial.

Callaway has scheduled a trial to begin on August 14 and a hearing on the status of Teerlynck’s lawsuit on May 14.

DailyMail.com contacted an attorney for Callaway for comment.