New Jersey Car Dealer, DMV Employee Plead Guilty in Scam to Sell Superstorm Sandy Flooded Vehicles
A used car dealer in New Jersey has admitted selling seven vehicles that sustained flood damage during Superstorm Sandy after a Motor Vehicle Commission office employee created clean titles for them, reported lehighvalleylive.
Jonathan Olin, 42, of Manalapan, pleaded guilty to theft by deception and Jessie Dinome, 30, of Jackson, pleaded guilty to tempering with public records.
Olin operated D&D Auto Sales in Old Bridge in Middlesex County.
The Asbury Park Press reports Olin told a judge in Monmouth County that he used fraudulent titles to sell the cars, which were purchased at auction and listed as being used "for parts only."
Olin faces up to three years in prison and has agreed to reimburse the customers.
Prosecutors will recommend Dinome, who worked in Freehold in Monmouth County, serve up to 364 days in jail and must forfeit her job.
"By ruthlessly cashing in on Superstorm Sandy, Olin not only cheated customers of his car dealership, he put those customers and other motorists at risk, because these flood-damaged vehicles had the potential to fail and even catch fire on the highway," acting Attorney General John J . Hoffman said in a prepared statement. "Two of the cars did, in fact, fail shortly after they were purchased, but fortunately no one was hurt."
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