Title Fraud Archives

Two New Jersey Men Plead Guilty in Pennsylvania in Scheme Involving Odometer Tampering and Title Fraud

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Thursday, May 19, 2022

Two New Jersey men have pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for their roles in falsifying vehicle titles as part of a long-running odometer roll-back scheme.

According to court documents, Felix Granowski, 58, of Matawan, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Granowski owned a used car dealership based in New Jersey. Today, Alec Morgunov, 34, of Manalapan, also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in connection with his work at Granowski’s dealership.

As part of their plea agreements, Granowski and Morgunov admitted that between 2012 and 2016, they engaged in a scheme to sell high-mileage, used vehicles with false, low-mileage readings entered on the vehicles’ odometers and titles. According to court filings, the defendants purchased high-mileage vehicles from individuals, arranged to alter the vehicles’ odometers to reflect false, lower mileage readings, and then obtained motor vehicle titles reflecting those false, lower mileages. Granowski and Morgunov then used the fraudulent title documentation and artificially lower odometer readings to sell the vehicles, including at an auction located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. By deceiving purchasers into believing the vehicles had fewer miles than they actually had, defendants sold the vehicles at inflated prices, resulting in consumers paying more for the vehicles than they would have paid had they known the true mileages.

“When individuals misrepresent the mileage on used cars, they deceive consumers into paying more money for those cars while also hiding vital information that can impact vehicle safety and repair costs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are committed to protecting consumers by prosecuting individuals who engage in this type of fraud.”

“We’re proud of our collaboration with the Department of Justice to investigate odometer fraud,” said Deputy Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). “Our top priority is keeping people safe on the road. Anyone who thinks they’ve been a victim of odometer fraud, needs to contact their state enforcement office. They can also visit our website, NHTSA.gov, for helpful information on how to detect a vehicle that may have had its odometer rolled back.”

In pleading guilty, Granowski and Morgunov admitted that they were part of a scheme that caused at least 118 cars to be sold with rolled-back odometers and falsified titles, resulting in consumer losses of at least $674,606.

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, respectively. Granowski and Morgunov each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the conspiracy to commit securities fraud charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The NHTSA Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Natalie N. Sanders and Ryan E. Norman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Rue of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecutors for the case.

NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud in the United States results in consumer losses of more than $1 billion annually. Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call NHTSA’s odometer fraud hotline at (800) 424-9393 or (202) 366-4761. More information on odometer fraud is available on the NHTSA website at https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/odometer-fraud and tips on detecting and avoiding odometer fraud are available at http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nvs/pdf/811284.pdf.

For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa.

Read Original Article Here

Man pleads guilty in federal auto fraud case

By Tara Gray
Published: Sep. 2, 2020 at 6:25 PM EDT
DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – One of six men charged in an auto fraud scheme involving a now-closed Moline used vehicle business has pleaded guilty in federal court.

Court records show Kendric Vendrell McCray pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in U.S. District Court, Davenport. The charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, according to the written plea agreement.

He will be sentenced Jan. 14.

McCray and co-defendants Bradley Shane McCorkle, Isaac Bell, Derek Martinez, Keithen Deone McCorkle, and Nicholas T. McFarlin were indicted in November.

According to the plea agreement in McCray’s case:

4th Avenue Auto Sales, a used motor vehicle business at 4130 4th Avenue, Moline, was owned and operated by Bradly McCorkle and Bell.

The two men, through the business, bought cars from local auto dealers and auto auctions and accepted vehicle trade-ins.

McCray was acquainted with Bradley McCorkle for many years and, at times between 2012 and 2018, he worked for the business and performed odd jobs, such as mowing and driving cars for the business.

Generally, he was paid in cash by Bradley McCorkle.

Sometime between 2013 and 2018 or earlier, McCray, Bradley McCorkle, Bell, and others conspired to defraud the state of Iowa and purchasers of used motor vehicles by materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises, and by the intentional concealment of material facts.

McCray helped to conceal the price paid for used motor vehicles, the identity of the true owner and seller of used motor vehicles, and concealed the vehicle history of the used motor vehicles.

He also helped to conceal the actual mileage on more than 150 used motor vehicles, as well as the vehicles’ operating conditions and sale price.

McCray acted as a straw buyer of used vehicle for 4th Avenue and assisted in having his name used on sale documents, applications for vehicle titles, and titles of dozens of used motor vehicles.

He as strictly as “nominee buyer” for 4th Avenue, Bradley McCorkle, Bell, and sometimes Keithen McCorkle and McFarlin.

McCray was paid around $30 in cash by Bradley McCorkle for each vehicle McCray fraudulently titled in his name.

By having vehicles put in his name and applying for vehicle titles in Davenport, McCray facilitated the “washing” of the title histories, which included removing the mileage figure that appeared on the titles.

He did not reset or alter the odometers of the motor vehicles but made false and fraudulent representations when he applied for titles and engaged in “phantom, false, and illusory” transactions to that it appeared he bought the vehicles when he had not.

McCray further concealed the amount of money involved in the vehicle transactions including the prices paid for the vehicles.

McCray is not a mechanic and had no tools or other means to repair a motor vehicle. “Bills of Sale” produced by 4th Avenue in connection with motor vehicle transactions purportedly between 4th Avenue and McCray contained notations that some or all of these sales were “mechanics specials.”

These were false representations by McCorkle that allowed the vehicles to appear to have a lower value when applying for the title, thus reducing taxes and fees.

McCray was aware that the vehicles placed in his name were changing hands through 4th Avenue and being sold by third parties, including McFarlin, Keithen McCorkle, and others.

He also was aware of the vehicle he purportedly purchased as a straw buyer was being advertised for sale online, including through postings on Craigslist.

Around Dec. 5, 2014, 4th Avenue purchased a 2008 Dodge Caliber from Central Petroleum Company in Blue Grass. The vehicle at the time of purchase had an odometer reading of 177,700 miles.

Ten days later, 4th Avenue assigned the title, which listed an odometer reading of 45,584 miles, to McCray. He then reassigned it back to 4th Avenue with 45,584 miles.

Around Dec. 23, 2014, the vehicle was reassigned from 4th Avenue to an unwitting buyer showing that it had 45,708 miles on it.

McCray executed the false title application, claiming to own the vehicle, but he did not pay 4th Avenue and never took possession of it, according to the plea agreement.

Bradley McCorkle and Bell are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of tampering with a motor vehicle odometer, and securities fraud involving a motor vehicle.

Keithen McCorkle, McFarlin, and Martinez are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud.

A trial is scheduled Sept. 29.

Original Story link here

Illinois Motor Vehicle Employee Known as “The Plate Plan” Sentenced for Vehicle Registration Fraud Scheme

Department of Justice
St. Louis, MO – Melvin Harmon was sentenced to 33 months incarceration and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,359.92 for conspiracy to defraud the United States and mail fraud by assisting Missouri residents in registering their cars in Illinois.

According to evidence at trial, between January 1, 2015 and December 20, 2016, Melvin Harmon was employed at a Granite City, Illinois office registering vehicles for the State of Illinois Secretary of State. He used his employment to assist Missouri residents in obtaining fraudulent motor vehicle registrations for others in exchange for a fee. Some of the Missouri residents learned of his services when they saw flyers advertising Harmon as “The Plate Man.”

In March 2016, investigators with the Illinois Secretary of State discovered that Harmon had been charging Missouri residents $350.00 to $700.00 in order to fraudulently register their cars in Illinois. Doing so enabled the Missouri residents to evade payment of Missouri taxes. In addition, Harmon altered the price of the vehicles in order to reduce any payments that would be paid to the State of Illinois as a result of the fraudulent registration. The alteration increased the amount he profited through the scheme. The State of Missouri lost in excess of $119,359.92 in sales tax revenue due to the fraudulent conduct. The precise loss of personal property tax income to the State of Missouri and local municipalities has not been determined.

Harmon, 40, Belleville, IL, was found guilty on May 18, 2108 after a federal jury returned five guilty verdicts. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey.

The case was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue-Compliance and Investigation Bureau and the State of Illinois Secretary of State Police. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Berry and Dianna Collins.

Original Article: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/illinois-motor-vehicle-employee-known-plate-plan-sentenced-vehicle-registration-fraud

Mother-daughter employees of Central Texas tax office arrested

CAMERON, Texas (KWTX) A mother and daughter who worked in the Milam County Tax Office were free on bond Tuesday after they were arrested on warrants stemming from an investigation of forged vehicle registrations.

Lydia Cervantes, 55, and her daughter Laura Renee Cervantes, 26, were arrested at the tax office Monday by agents from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Milam County Sheriff David E. Green said.

Green said both were booked into the county jail and were released after posting bond.

Both were charged with forgery of vehicle registration and with filing false identities, jail records showed.

“I don’t know much about the details of the case because the arrest was made by state police from the DPS computer crimes division,” Green said.

In March 2016 Milam County Assistant Community Supervision Officer, Ronald G. Floyd, 50 of Cameron, pleaded guilty to theft by a public servant over $2,500, but less than $30,000, a third-degree felony.

He was sentenced to three years deferred adjudication probation, ordered to pay a $2,500 fine, court costs and at least $8,180 in restitution, prosecutors said.

Floyd was accused of encouraging probationers to bring their probation fees to his office in cash and then skimmed money off those fees and pocketed it.

On Dec. 9, 2015, Milam County Tax Assessor-Collector Kolette Barrett Morgan was sentenced to probation after pleading no contest to a state jail felony charge of attempted theft by a public servant of more than $1,500, but less than $20,000.

State District Judge John W. Youngblood placed Morgan on three years deferred adjudication probation and she was also ordered to pay a $2,500 fine, court costs and restitution in an amount to be determined.

A criminal accused Morgan of unlawfully appropriating cash in an amount between $1,500 and $20,000 “pursuant to one scheme or continuing course of conduct.”

Morgan was appointed to the position in October 2010 after working in the tax office for 17 years.

She won election to a full term in the office in 2012.

She resigned after entering the plea.

Original Article: http://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Mother-daughter-employees-of-Central-Texas-tax-office-arrested-470750663.html

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 in the 1000 block of Texas Street in Lewisville.

Although police said she was a “common link” in the fraudulent transactions, she denied ever giving Johnson paperwork to process. She also said she paid “what she needed to,” but the document did not elaborate on what she meant.

Later in their investigation, police identified at least two title documents, notarized by Caballero, that contained forged signatures, according to the affidavit.

Police obtained arrest warrants for both suspects on Sept. 11.

French said Johnson, a Dallas resident, was hired at the tax office in 2010. She said he took another job for about two years before returning.

Johnson was placed on administrative leave Aug. 2 and submitted a letter of resignation on Aug. 3, according to documents obtained through an open records request.

He most recently worked as an office supervisor, according to the resignation letter.

JULIAN GILL can be reached at 940-566-6882.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the amount of money involved in the bribery scheme. The affidavit stated the suspect accepted about 80 cash bribes of $100.

Original Article: http://www.dentonrc.com/news/news/2017/10/19/two-arrested-misconduct-investigation-denton-county-tax-office

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/

Massachusetts State police warn of vehicle odometer rollback scam

The Massachusetts State Police, in conjunction with the Missouri Highway Patrol have been investigating a series of consumer frauds, related to the purchase and subsequent sale of motor vehicles by a man and woman residing in Connecticut and the Kansas City Metropolitan area.

The couple purchases a vehicle, typically from the Craigslist internet auction site. The vehicle’s mileage reading is altered and the vehicle is placed back on Craigslist. The two suspects pose as the previous owners of the vehicle. The investigation revealed approximately 48 vehicle purchases/sales within the past year in the Kansas City Missouri area and an undetermined number of vehicles sold in the Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. It is possible not all the transactions involve an odometer rollback. Investigators are seeking to discuss these transactions with the sellers and purchasers of these vehicles. There has been no indication of impropriety on behalf of the sellers or purchasers, and investigators are still trying to determine the potential number of victims.

The suspects do not use their names during, and typically use disposable pay-as-you-go cell phones. The man is approximately 5’9”, medium build, and has an “East Coast” accent. If present, the woman typically stays in a green Nissan Quest minivan with their children while the transactions are conducted.

If you or someone you know has purchased a vehicle from these individuals please contact Massachusetts State Police Compliance Unit Trooper Stephen Walker, at 857-368-8626.

Original Article: https://www.newbedfordguide.com/massachusetts-state-police-warn-of-vehicle-odometer-rollback-scam/2017/06/01

Feds: Chesapeake car dealership rolled back at least 76 odometers, secured doctored titles

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A Chesapeake used-car dealership rolled back odometers in at least 76 vehicles, some of them by more than 100,000 miles, federal prosecutors allege in court documents.

But state and federal officials declined this week to identify the business in question, citing an ongoing investigation involving the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the U.S. Department of Justice. They said the only charges filed so far in connection with the alleged conspiracy involve a former employee of the city of Norfolk who they believe helped cover up the scheme.

A DMV spokeswoman confirmed the dealership is “no longer open.” She added that her department’s standard procedure is “to make efforts to notify possible victims of suspected odometer fraud.”

William Childress, the executive director of the board tasked with regulating the state’s new- and used-car dealerships, said he had not heard about the case and couldn’t comment. But he added that 76 incidents of odometer fraud linked to one dealership would be a “huge deal.”

Steven Bazemore, 33, of Virginia Beach is expected to plead guilty May 26 in U.S. District Court in Norfolk to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

Carteia Basnight, Bazemore’s attorney, did not return calls or emails seeking comment.

According to court documents, Bazemore helped the unidentified business obtain falsified vehicle titles while working at a DMV Select branch in Norfolk.

The scheme stretched from about January 2010 through September 2013, court documents said.

Lori Crouch, a Norfolk city spokeswoman, said Bazemore worked for the city from Sept. 28, 2007, through Sept. 20, 2013. She declined to say whether he was fired or he quit.

While working at the DMV Select branch, Bazemore was supposed to help customers register their vehicles and obtain Virginia motor vehicle titles, among other things.

Court documents said the dealership’s owner and other co-conspirators paid Bazemore for vehicle titles that reflected false, lower odometer readings. The owner, identified in court documents only as “Co-conspirator 1,” would then work with the others to sell the vehicles to unsuspecting buyers for more money than they probably would have otherwise received.

Court documents said Bazemore processed several title applications “that contained obviously false odometer certifications and frequently were missing signatures or other required information.” The documents also said the businessman sometimes gave Bazemore titles that contained new odometer information that was lower than previous odometer readings on the same title.

The documents outline two incidents the businessman worked with Bazemore to get fraudulent titles, including one in July 2012 when Bazemore made it look like a 2003 Chevrolet S10 pickup had 84,603 miles on the odometer when the prior Georgia title listed 243,000 miles. The other incident occurred in February 2013 when Bazemore made it look like a 2003 Honda Accord had 107,003 miles when the prior Virginia title listed 211,000 miles.

To conceal this, Bazemore would sometimes give his co-conspirators back the fraudulent title, title application and other documents in violation of DMV policy, court documents said.

Original Article: http://pilotonline.com/news/local/crime/feds-chesapeake-car-dealership-rolled-back-at-least-odometers-secured/article_37ce63bf-b96e-5f66-be7f-bc8005fc4f68.html

Road Warrior: Low miles? Used car may be too good to be true

Hardly anybody I know pays much attention to the odometer reading when buying a used car — unless, of course, it’s exceptionally high. After all, low mileage is usually the main qualifier when buying a pre-owned vehicle because it suggests the two of you will likely enjoy a few more good years before it gives you serious trouble.

But judging by an arrest for odometer fraud in South Hackensack a week ago, ignoring a low-mileage reading might mark the beginning of serious trouble. “Odometer fraud? How’d they do that?” said Sal, an otherwise astute car owner I know from Barnegat.

Like me, Sal thought rolling back odometers was the kind of crime that all but disappeared when computers were introduced in most cars around the end of the 20th century. Those of us who began driving when hood ornaments were still popular remember how amateur mechanics would break into the odometer housing behind the dashboard and roll back the miles by hand.

Those days are long gone. And so is the housing, said Robert Foster, an officer in a consortium of state investigators called the National Odometer and Title Fraud Enforcement Association.

“It’s easier to do now than it was before computerization,” said Foster. “With the right kind of knowledge and software, a mechanic can get into the onboard computer and reset the mileage to anything he wants.”

Theoretically, it doesn’t always require a master mechanic to do this dirty work.

“Diagnostic and computerized equipment can be purchased online,” said Maureen Parenta, a spokeswoman for the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. “And there are how-to blogs and Internet videos” that can easily be accessed.

In the South Hackensack case, Alon Levin, owner of HQ Custom Design, was charged for allegedly using diagnostic equipment to access vehicle computers and lower odometer readings by tens of thousands of miles since 2012. It’s unclear which kinds of vehicles were affected, but Levin’s company website said the business specializes in customizing big-ticket luxury vehicles. Because the investigation is ongoing, Parenta couldn’t disclose how the fraud was uncovered, but police say investigations usually are initiated by sellers who belatedly realized they’ve paid more than several hundreds of dollars to buy vehicles with mileage reductions in the tens of thousands.

The losses don’t always stop there.

If a car is financed, the bank or finance company will likely increase the interest rate on the car loan. Insurance companies can hike the premium, too. And maintenance costs will likely rise faster for a car with 70,000 miles than it would have if it had been driven just 40,000.

Still, turning back an odometer requires a little more than a screwdriver and a little online know-how.

“Yes, the procedure only requires a scanner and the right software,” said mechanic Brian Shanahan, who owns Washington Garage in Bergenfield. “But the logistics aren’t so easy. The software is proprietary. If you work on cars for a living, you need authorization, which usually means you have to be a licensed franchisee who’s legally bound by a code of ethics. If you do something unethical or illegal, you lose the license, which means you can’t work on certain car makes. Essentially, you can lose your business.”

To say nothing of the legal penalties, especially for cases involving hundreds of vehicles.

Foster, an investigator for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, has helped in federal prosecutions that put violators in jail for five years or more. “Fines can be levied per vehicle and they can run in the tens of thousands,” he said. “On top of that, restitution can be ordered for thousands more.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that nearly 500,000 annual usedcar sales in the United States involve odometer fraud. The cost to the American consumer: Easily $1 billion a year.

In the last 10 years in New Jersey, courts have individually held several dealerships responsible for cheating buyers out of $1 million or more. Frequently, these cases cross state lines. In one 2008 settlement, a defendant pleaded guilty to electronically rolling back odometers as much as 100,000 miles in cars sold in Brooklyn and Hackensack. One Ramsey dealer and its affiliates were initially assessed more than $900,000, a figure that was later reduced to $250,000. Last month, the state sued a Lodi used-car dealership — European Auto Expo — for deceptive practices that included one sale in which mileage allegedly was rolled back 60,000 miles.

Federal law requires that sellers register the mileage on the odometer at the time of sale. If the mileage is incorrect, a seller must disclose that fact to the buyer in a statement. But cars more than 10 years old are exempt.

“That loophole is more significant today than when the law was passed,” said Foster, “because cars last an average of about 11½ years now.”
Various law-enforcement groups are lobbying Congress to close the loophole.

Meanwhile, what can car buyers do to protect themselves?

NHTSA suggests asking to see the title and maintenance reports to ensure the mileage reported on these documents is consistent with mileage on the odometer. Foster suggests carefully checking brakes, clutch pedals and other vehicle components for wear to determine if they show wear consistent with odometer mileage.

“And always get a CarFax vehicle history report when buying a used car,” he added. “In most cases, it contains the information needed to make a wise purchase.”

Original Article: http://www.northjersey.com/news/road-warrior-low-miles-used-car-may-be-too-good-to-be-true-1.1556117