South Archives - Page 3 of 7

Two arrested in misconduct investigation into Denton County Tax Office

Two people were arrested on bribery charges last month in connection with a misconduct investigation into the Denton County Tax Office. Former tax office employee Tramanski Johnson, who worked at the Lewisville branch, was booked into Denton County Jail on Sept. 12 after turning himself in on the bribery charge, police said. Juana Caballero, a notary public who allegedly notarized forged documents, was booked on the bribery charge Sept. 11. The Denton County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The affidavit in support of the suspects’ arrest outlines a complex scheme involving bribes to process fraudulent vehicle title transfers. The tax office collects property taxes, renews vehicle registrations and contracts with several car dealerships to issue titles on new vehicles. The office has six locations within the county, including Lewisville, Cross Roads, Frisco and Flower Mound. The main Denton office is at 1505 E. McKinney St. County Tax Assessor/Collector Michelle French, who heads the office, declined to comment on specifics of the case. “I’m not going to comment on any details just because it’s still a pending case,” French said. A sheriff’s office investigator first learned about allegations of a county employee accepting bribes to process known fraudulent title transfers on July 31, according to the affidavit. Johnson was identified as the employee, and the investigator reached out to him Aug. 2, the document stated. Johnson, the affidavit said, admitted that he accepted about 80 cash bribes from Caballero, who also goes by the last name Munoz , to process the fraudulent title transfers. Johnson said he was paid $100 per transaction. The affidavit also did not specify who Caballero works for, only that she signed and notarized “several documents as an authorized agent for other dealerships,” the affidavit said. No car dealerships were identified in the affidavit. Later in the day on Aug. 2, investigators contacted Caballero at AA Auto Sales … Continue Reading

Emissions test, odometer fraud found at vehicle inspection stations in Harris County, deputies say

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — At least two people have been arrested after an investigation revealed the suspects were conducting fraudulent vehicle inspections at two separate stations in Houston, the Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office said. Investigators received information that BI-LO Used Cars located at 2823 South Shaver Street was allegedly rolling back odometers on used cars and conducting fraudulent vehicle inspections using a procedure called clean scanning. Clean scanning is when an inspector tricks the monitoring tool by entering in the vehicle identification number for an automobile that would fail an emissions test, but then connects the monitor to a vehicle that would pass. Meanwhile, odometer rollback is the illegal practice of changing or altering the mileage readings on vehicle to make it appear as though it has been driven less than it has. Investigators report that over a 90 day period 54 percent of the vehicle inspections conducted were unlawful. Another investigation concentrated on Hardy’s State Inspection located at 12965 W. Hardy Road was also using a “clean scanning” procedure. The shop is a state-licensed vehicle inspection station, deputies said. The constable’s office reported over a 90 day period 76 percent of the vehicle inspections conducted were unlawful. Deputies said arrest warrants were executed at both shops, resulting in the arrest of Adel Yacoub and Raymond Mentzel. Yacoub and Mentzel are each facing two counts of tampering with a governmental record. Original Article: http://cw39.com/2017/10/20/emissions-test-odometer-fraud-found-at-vehicle-inspection-stations-in-harris-county-deputies-say/

Rolling back’ suspect accused of tampering with hundreds of vehicles

A Grand Prairie man is accused of rolling back odometers to hundreds of vehicles in Texas. Star-Telegram – Courtesy GRAND PRAIRIE Kenneth Rose was on a roll. But state and local authorities say they have stopped him, shutting down a major odometer fraud operation after a three-year investigation. Rose, 41, was in custody Wednesday, accused of rolling back odometers on hundreds of Texas vehicles. “The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles does not tolerate anyone ripping off Texas auto buyers,” said Whitney Brewster, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles director, in a Wednesday news release. “Mileage is a key factor that consumers use when deciding whether to buy a used vehicle. Tampering with an odometer to deceive a buyer is a serious crime that puts innocent Texans’ safety and finances at risk.” Rose was arrested earlier this month on a charge of tampering with an odometer. He also faces driving while intoxicated and obstructing highway passage charges, according to Tarrant County jail records. Odometer fraud is the disconnection, resetting or “rolling back” of a vehicle’s odometer with the intent to defraud. Rose is accused of having contacts with area used-car dealerships. Officials noted that buyers could pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more for a vehicle if an odometer has been rolled back. In addition, buyers may believe they have a low-mileage vehicle, when it’s actually one with serious safety issues. Officials with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will contact victims whose vehicles may have had their odometers rolled back. The case was investigated by the Tarrant County Regional Auto Crimes Task Force, the Tarrant County district attorney’s office, Fort Worth and Grand Prairie police, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Domingo Ramirez Jr.: 817-390-7763, @mingoramirezjr Buying tips Do a title check. Check vehicle history … Continue Reading

Better Call Behnken: Owner of Tampa car dealership accused of rolling back odometers arrested Holly Merz July 20, 2017

by: Shannon Behnken Posted: Jul 18, 2017 / 01:38 PM EDT / Updated: Jul 18, 2017 / 01:38 PM EDT TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The owner of a Tampa car dealership faces 42 felony charges, accused of funneling cars through her company, then rolling back odometers and flipping the vehicles to unsuspecting buyers on Craig’s List. The arrest of Soreny Marin Vargas comes after an 8 On Your Side investigation shined a light on one of the “low mileage” deals. Florida Highway Patrol investigated and found other victims. Marin Vargas faces multiple charges of uttering a forged instrument, scheme to defraud and odometer fraud. Investigators say Marin Vargas used her dealership, Tampa Preferred Motors, to buy high mileage cars at auctions and from other dealerships. She would then, according to FHP, “solicit family members in Venezuela to provide her copies of their passports in order to use their information to title vehicles in their names.” The dealership, investigators say, would then roll the odometers back to reflect a significantly lower mileage and then sell those cars to unsuspecting buyers on Craig’s List. One of those buyers, Mary Ellen Morgan, turned to 8 On Your Side in February, after she bought a van on Craig’s List. It was advertised as having 108,000 miles, but it actually had nearly 178,000 miles. The van had trouble on the way home, after Morgan paid $5,000 in cash to someone representing Marin Vargas. The deal was made in a Target parking lot in Brandon. Morgan is thrilled to hear of the arrest and she’s hopeful she’ll get her money back so she can buy a more reliable van. “I can’t go very far with this van because it is not in the best of shape,” Morgan said, adding that she hopes this arrest will save other car buyers from going through … Continue Reading

Former Auto Body Repair Shop Owner Sentenced for Role in Odometer and Title Fraud Scheme

A Lawrenceville, Georgia man was sentenced in Norfolk, Virginia for his role in an odometer tampering and title fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced today. Paul Robinson, 38, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release by Judge Robert G. Doumar in the Eastern District of Virginia. Judge Doumar also ordered Robinson to pay $320,797.82 in restitution to victims who purchased vehicles with rolled back odometers. In February, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit odometer tamping and securities fraud. Robinson, who formerly owned Affordable Auto Body Repair in Chesapeake, Virginia, admitted that he purchased high mileage vehicles, and that he, or someone acting at his direction, altered the vehicles’ odometers to reflect a fraudulent low mileage reading. Robinson and his co-conspirators then acquired Virginia motor vehicle titles with false, low mileage odometer readings. Those titles were used to sell the vehicles to unsuspecting purchasers. “Not only does odometer fraud result in consumers paying more for their vehicles and having higher repair costs, there are significant safety risks in unknowingly driving high mileage vehicles,” said Acting Assistant Attorney Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are committed to protecting consumers by prosecuting individuals who engage in these schemes.” From 2012 to 2014, Robinson and his co-conspirators tampered with odometers and secured fraudulent motor vehicle titles for more than 100 vehicles. At times, the mileage readings on the altered odometers and fraudulent titles were 150,000 miles less than the vehicles’ actual mileage. One of Robinson’s co-conspirators, Steven Bazemore, a former title clerk who assisted Robinson with securing fraudulent motor vehicles, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud. On Sept. 22, 2016, Bazemore was sentenced to five years of probation, with the first year as home detention, … Continue Reading

Georgia Dealer and Title Clerk Sentenced in Odometer Fraud Scheme

Two Georgia residents were sentenced in Atlanta, Georgia today for their roles in a conspiracy to alter odometers of used motor vehicles, the Justice Department announced. Rojen Burnett, 35, of Conyers, Georgia, and Amber McLaughlin, 33, of Duluth, Georgia, each were sentenced to 12 months in prison and three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. Burnett owned and operated Lifestyle Auto Broker LLC, a Georgia corporation that bought and sold used motor vehicles; McLaughlin was a former customer service specialist at the Motor Vehicle Department of the Georgia Department of Revenue. In 2012 and 2013, Burnett bought high-mileage used motor vehicles, altered the mileage on the titles, rolled-back the odometers, obtained new titles with false low mileages, and sold the vehicles to unsuspecting dealers. The dealers, in turn, sold them to consumers. McLaughlin helped Burnett commit odometer fraud by fraudulently issuing new Georgia titles with false low mileages in exchange for cash. “Buying a car or truck is one of the biggest financial decisions that consumers make,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Odometer fraudsters victimize consumers by making them pay substantially more for a used car that is less safe and less reliable than the consumer wanted or needed. The Justice Department will hold these fraudsters accountable for their crimes.”+ The defendants’ scheme included at least 310 vehicles whose odometers were rolled back and sold. Burnett and McLaughlin were also ordered to pay $399,363 and $176,725, respectively, in restitution to the victims of their fraud, who are the current owners of the cars with rolled-back odometers. This case was investigated by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation (NHTSA) and the Georgia Department of Revenue. NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud … Continue Reading

Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) – Press Release

In April 2014, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) received several complaints from a county tax office regarding the use of fraudulent identification documents to transfer titles. The TxDMV opened an investigation and determined Damaris Sarai Martinez submitted over 40 title transactions listing fraudulent Texas driver licenses, fraudulent addresses, and fraudulent trade allowances. The TxDMV partnered with the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division to further investigate Martinez. A search warrant was obtained for a location where she operated and fraudulent documents were obtained. Martinez was charged for violation of Texas Transportation Code, Section 501.155, False Name, False Information, and Forgery, which is a third degree felony. On February 24, 2017, she entered into a plea agreement for ten years confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and payment of a $2,000 fine. The sentence was suspended, and she was placed on probation for five years. Martinez was subsequently taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.

Piqua man sentenced in odometer scam

Scott Carnes Jr. A Piqua man convicted with three others in a scheme in which vehicle odometers were turned back before they were sold was sentenced Monday, Aug. 22, to 18 months in prison. Scott Carnes Jr. ,32, was convicted in Miami County Common Pleas Court of felony charges of tampering with records, tampering with odometers and transferring a motor vehicle with a tampered or nonfunctioning odometer. Prosecutors said the four men allegedly altered odometers and tampered with titles of used vehicles sold at two Piqua auto dealerships between May 2011 and November 2013. Prosecutors said they worked at Mills Auto Sales on South Street and A Auto Sales on Clark Avenue, both in Piqua. Carnes’ lawyer, Robert Huffman Jr., said he had no prior felony convictions and had cooperated with investigators. Carnes asked the judge for probation saying he took responsibility for his actions. Judge Christopher Gee said the men’s actions had a significant impact on people who couldn’t afford to pay much for a car. The men, he said, “were stealing their money for a basically worthless car.” Two other defendants already before the judge received sentences of 18 months and nine months in prison. The last defendant is scheduled for sentencing next week

Former tax office clerks allegedly violated code by giving illegal discounts

Two former employees of the Brazos County Tax Office turned themselves in earlier this week after authorities say they illegally gave people discounts on vehicle transfer taxes. According to the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, April Arredondo, 36, of Bryan, admitted to processing about 50 fraudulent vehicle title transfers in ways that gave the person receiving the vehicle a tax discount. She told investigators she was compensated $20 to $50 per transaction. Sonya Tijerina Munoz, 26, of Bryan, told investigators she submitted a similar fraudulent affidavit to Arredondo for her to process, authorities said. Each woman bonded out of jail shortly after they were booked. They’re accused of violating the Texas Transportation Code by providing false information. If convicted, each woman faces two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for the third-degree felonies. According to a probable cause statement from the sheriff’s office, who investigated the case with the help of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, county tax employees observed Arredondo processing title transfer applications while no customers were present, and that signatures may have been forged. Arredondo was terminated from the tax office in February when the employees reported what they saw, the report says. Munoz resigned her position in late spring. The DMV investigator ran a report of the transactions Arredondo processed and found more than 30 transactions that were possibly fraudulent. The investigator noticed numerous transactions that were processed as gift transactions, which allows the owner of a vehicle to give that vehicle to a relative and claim a partial exemption from paying state sales tax for the vehicle. In the case of gift transactions, the seller and buyer both have to sign a gift tax affidavit and it has to be notarized. The investigator ran the names of both parties in each gift … Continue Reading

Victims of alleged auto title fraud and rollbacks reimbursed by district attorney’s office

Many victims of JD’s Auto Sales were reimbursed Thursday morning. Customers were victims of alleged odometer rollback and title fraud. The car lot was shutdown and the owners were arrested Nov. 13, 2014. (Staff Photo: Kayla Langmaid) JONESBORO — Nearly two years after a Forest Park dealership was raided and the owners were arrested for multiple violations, the Clayton County District Attorney’s office is working to reimburse at least 90 victims who were affected by an alleged scam at the hands of the owners. Customers who fell victims to a purported scheme by JD’s Auto Sales on Jonesboro Road were given the opportunity to get some of their money back Thursday, thanks to the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson presented 68 victims with a check for $1,250 Thursday morning at the Harold R. Banke Justice Center. The remaining victims will be mailed a check. Owner of JD’s Auto Sales, John Emumwen Egbe and his son, Sylvester Emumwen Egbe, were arrested during a raid Nov. 13, 2014. The two men face charges of certificate of title violations and false swearing due to a large number of odometer rollbacks and title fraud. The 130-car lot was raided by officers with Georgia Department of Revenue, Clayton County District Attorney’s Office, Forest Park Police Department and Clayton County Sheriff’s Office. A safe on the premises yielded $97,000, Lawson said. “We successfully forfeited $125,000 from JD’s Auto Sales,” she said. The victims will also not have to worry about any court fees, according to Lawson. DOR case Investigator Richard Trinkwalder said the lot had been under scrutiny for possible odometer rollback and title fraud. A rollback falsely inflates the value of a vehicle by reducing the number of miles shown on the odometer. The alleged title fraud involves recording the … Continue Reading

NOTFEA

Working to deter odometer and title fraud

Category Archives: South