Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LASHAUMBA RANDOLPH was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for providing fake titles and other fraudulent vehicle documentation used to defraud car buyers as part of a national stolen car ring involving approximately 60 stolen luxury cars, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Corvettes, worth more than $4 million. RANDOLPH previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel.
All defendants have pled guilty and RANDOLPH is the ninth defendant sentenced to date. Earlier in the case, Judge Seibel sentenced eight co-defendants for their roles in the $4 million stolen car ring. CLIPHAS BELFON, a/k/a “Cliff,” who supplied from Florida many of the stolen cars sold by the ring, was sentenced to 52 months in prison on May 27, 2021. COLIN BURNETT, a/k/a “Greg,” who made fraudulent documentation for the cars, was also sentenced to 52 months in prison on October 6, 2021. BESAR ISMAILI, who supplied, stored, and sold stolen cars to secondhand buyers, was sentenced to 42 months in prison on April 20, 2021. ROBERT PINSKY, a supplier of stolen cars and false vehicle documentation, was sentenced to 40 months in prison on July 9, 2021. ANTONIO SANTIAGO, another Florida supplier of stolen cars, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on January 21, 2020. CHARLES WALTON, a Michigan-based supplier of stolen cars, was sentenced to 21 months in prison on August 27, 2020. STEVEN KLEIN, who provided financing for the scheme and resold stolen cars to secondhand buyers, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on June 11, 2021. NICHOLAS DIXON, who transported some of the stolen cars, was sentenced to time served on September 10, 2020.
As a result of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than 30 stolen cars, and the defendants have already paid more than $443,000 in combined restitution to victims of the stolen car ring, forfeiture, and fines.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “These defendants used sophisticated methods to traffic scores of stolen luxury cars worth more than $4 million, stealing from rightful owners and defrauding buyers and state departments of motor vehicles. This unacceptable crime harms car owner victims, muddies up car records relied upon by the public, and also imposes hidden costs on the public, including anyone paying for car insurance. It will not be tolerated.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, as well as other public documents and court proceedings:
From October 2017 through November 2018, MARVIN WILLIAMS, CLIPHAS BELFON, a/k/a “Cliff,” COLIN BURNETT, a/k/a “Greg,” NICHOLAS DIXON, a/k/a “Robbie,” BESAR ISMAILI, STEVEN KLEIN, ROBERT PINKSY, LASHAUMBA RANDOLPH, ANTONIO SANTIAGO, and CHARLES WALTON operated a sophisticated, interstate stolen car ring, during which they (1) obtained stolen cars from, among other places, Michigan and Florida; (2) transported the stolen cars to, among other places, the Southern District of New York and Connecticut, for resale; (3) created and/or obtained false titles, registrations, and temporary license plates for the stolen cars; (4) used the false car records to deceive car buyers and the South Dakota Division of Motor Vehicles; and (5) used online markets, such as eBay, to solicit buyers of the stolen cars in various states. Through this extensive criminal scheme, the co-conspirators obtained, transported, and sold or attempted to sell more than 60 cars worth, in total, more than $4 million.
To carry out the stolen car ring, its members performed multiple and various roles. Some members stole and/or obtained luxury cars from the rightful, original owners, including dealerships and car rental businesses in Florida and Michigan. Others assisted in transporting the cars from Florida and Michigan to, among other places, New York or Connecticut. Others provided financing and assisted in purchasing or finding buyers for stolen cars. Others attempted to conceal the scheme from or deceive car buyers, law enforcement, and the SDDMV by “re-VINning cars,” and using fraudulent documents, such as fraudulent titles and VIN stickers, to acquire new titles and registrations for the stolen cars, making it appear as if the stolen cars were not, in fact, stolen.
RANDOLPH, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, pled guilty on February 2, 2021 to conspiring to commit wire fraud from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018. In addition to the prison term, RANDOLPH was sentenced today to three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay forfeiture of $9,500 and restitution of 26,098.47.
BELFON, 28, of Miami, Florida, pled guilty on May 14, 2020, to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on May 27, 2021 to 52 months in prison, and forfeiture of $17,000.
BURNETT, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, pled guilty on September 15, 2020, to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on October 6, 2021 to 52 months in prison, forfeiture of $8,577, and restitution of $24,991.24.
ISMAILI, 40, of Waterbury, Connecticut, pled guilty on December 22, 2020 to conspiring to commit wire fraud from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on April 20, 2021 to 42 months in prison, forfeiture of $76,000, and restitution of $393,329.96.
PINSKY, 52, of Howell, New Jersey, pled guilty on March 12, 2020 to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on July 9, 2021 to 40 months in prison, forfeiture of $77,000, and restitution of $51,444.08.
SANTIAGO, 38, of Pompano Beach, Florida, pled guilty on June 11, 2019 to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on January 21, 2020 to 30 months in prison, forfeiture of $22,500, and restitution of $66,671.91.
WALTON, 35, of Detroit, Michigan, pled guilty on March 17, 2020 to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on August 27, 2020 to 21 months in prison, forfeiture of $36,000, and restitution of $41,365.33.
KLEIN, 58, of Easton, Connecticut, pled guilty on March 3, 2021 to conspiring to commit wire fraud, and was sentenced on June 11, 2021 to 18 months in prison, forfeiture of $70,000, restitution of $240,000, and a fine of $15,000.
DIXON, 46, of Tamarac, Florida, pled guilty on May 7, 2020 to receiving a stolen car, and was sentenced on September 10, 2020 to time served, forfeiture of $34,050, and restitution of $6,849.59.
WILLIAMS, 35, of Torrington, Connecticut, pled guilty on October 11, 2019, and is awaiting sentencing.
Mr. Williams praised the excellent work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Police.
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