TAMPA, Fla. — The arrest of more than 20 people was announced Monday morning as part of a five-year-long multi-agency investigation called "Operation Gone in 60 Days."
During a news conference in Tampa, leaders with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement explained how a tip surrounding a local group trying to sell counterfeit commercial driver licenses led to a larger revelation – an organized car theft ring.
Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell said the investigation, which started back in July 2018, began after detectives realized confidential sources targeting the local group were showing up to multiple meetings in different high-end vehicles with temporary tags on them.
After seeing the cars, investigators decided to run the tags which ultimately led to the multiple arrests.
"This was a very organized fraud, [they had] several ways they conducted these frauds," Brutnell explained.
One of the group's most common ways to scheme was reportedly searching online for high-end vehicles and targeting smaller dealerships with fraudulent checks.
According to the special agent in charge, the group would work together to pick up the cars after using fraudulent checks, and a dealership worker in Miami would create temporary tags for them. There was also someone who was reportedly able to craft counterfeit VIN numbers as well.
After 60 days went by and the temporary tags were no longer valid, the car was sold to someone else, Brutnell explained. The stolen car probably valued at $100,000 was sold for around $15,000.
Another scam the group used was renting vehicles from airports or other rental agencies in the Tampa Bay area and doing the exact same thing, according to Brutnell.
"[They would] bring the rental car back here, only this time they would file a stolen police report," the special agent in charge said. "In the meantime, they had the temporary tag, they had new VIN numbers and they would sell the rental car."
The third way the group was able to scam was by buying high-end vehicles and deciding to "walk away" from them months later, claiming they were stolen, according to authorities.
Along with selling stolen cars, fraudulent insurance was sold to some unsuspecting customers who paid in cash, Brutnell explained.
"This was [going] on for five years, nonstop," he said.
In the end, law enforcement officers said they were able to buy two cars as part of the investigation to prove the ongoing fraud. All those arrested are facing charges ranging from racketeering to stealing personal identification information and grand theft.
Some of the charges could land the lead defendant up to 135 years in prison.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody was able to give tips to Floridians to keep in mind when buying cars to avoid getting scammed, including:
- Verify the seller's name is on the title they're transferring
- Make sure the dealer has a license
- Research before buying a car and make sure the dealer is reputable
- Check the VIN number on the dash of the car matches the one on the side of the door
- Try to peel the VIN number on the side of the door off – if it easily comes off, it might be a scam
- Do transactions at a local DMV with representatives able to help look at car titles before signing
"These are just some ways that Floridians can protect themselves if they're going to buy a vehicle in Florida," Moody said. "Many times the schemes are so complex that it takes [law enforcement] working in collaboration to take down these vast criminal enterprises...
"We always want to remind Floridians there are things you can do as well to help us prevent...vehicle sale fraud..."
Watch the full news conference down below.