…for selling Hurricane Sandy-damaged vehicles with “washed” titles.
It’s nice to see justice meted-out to scammers like this!
I guess the three hours I spent at the dealer buying my last car only seemed like three years…
Those scumbags are some of the ones giving the industry in general a bad name
It’s scary to think that the one guy was able to access the state DMV website and change the title status. Makes me think there are probably other sandy cars out there with washed titles, which were changed in the same way
The combined value of those vehicles wasn’t sky high. Makes me think they were probably cars. From what I understand, there’s far more profit in trucks and suvs
I hope these scumbags are permanently barred from selling vehicles ever again. In any state
“Makes me think there are probably other sandy cars out there with washed titles, which were changed in the same way”
You’re probably correct, @db4690.
Quite a while back, the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs created a searchable database so that people could verify–prior to purchase–if a car had been given a salvage title as a result of the floods. Unfortunately, even when you give people the tools with which to help themselves, they don’t necessarily use them!
If you want to see the information that is available, take a look at:
http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/floodedcars/
The guy that helped him, Dinome, should be in prison too. And al of their assets, 100%, for both of them, should be seized and divided amongst their victims.
At least these guys were caught
Just think about the other guys out there, who have probably done the same illegal activity, and aren’t in jail
I wonder what started the chain reaction, that ultimately led to these guys getting into trouble
Perhaps somebody that bought a used car with a clean title experienced all sorts of bizarre electrical problems soon after the purchase . . .
Fortunately, somebody sharp put the pieces together, instead of just considering it an isolated incident
It’s about time they’re the courts are finally sending these guys to prison. 30 years ago…all that would happen would be - was the company would be shut down. Then 2 years later the principles owners would start up another company like nothing ever happened.
@MikeInNH
But how do we know these guys won’t cook up another scam, after getting out of the big house?
We don’t. What’s your point? They ROBBED people. Why should they get a pass on prison time? Their company BROKE THE LAW. And the owners/management knew they were breaking the law. How is that NOT criminal.
If you as an individual knowingly sold a Hurricane Sandy vehicle and disclosed…if you got caught you could go to prison. I glad these people can no longer hide behind their company.
@MikeInNH
“Why should they get a pass on prison time?”
DID I SAY OR IN ANY WAY IMPLY THAT THESE SCUMBAGS SHOULD GET A PASS ON PRISON TIME?
“Their company BROKE THE LAW. And the owners/management knew they were breaking the law. How is that NOT criminal.”
DID I SAY OR IN ANY WAY IMPLY THAT THESE SCUMBAGS DID NOT BREAK THE LAW, OR THAT THEIR ACTIONS WERE NOT CRIMINAL . . . ?!
Please stop asking questions and making statements that are insulting to me. You seem to think I don’t think what these guys did was all that bad. I do, and I feel just as grateful that you are that these guys are being punished
My “point” . . . as you put it, is that we may not be safe from these guys once they’re released
Just because I made a “point” does not mean that I am their side
I’m on your side
I’m not apologizing for any of the things I just said
I think the way you reacted to me was wholly inappropriate. You just lectured to me, as if I was an utter imbecile. I don’t appreciate that one stinking bit
Now calm down before you have a stroke . . . yeah, look who’s talking
LOL
At least I can laugh about it in the end
I accept your apology, regardless if you gave it or not
And for you guys pointing out that capital letters means I’m yelling . . . YES. I KNOW. AND THAT WAS MY INTENT
hmm … Both the cars and the titles were “washed” it seems.
db…
you are yelling…
@wesw
Past tense . . . I was yelling. But no longer
But I’m not apologizing for it.
The way Mike reacted to me was 100% out of line, and it was clear he was responding directly to me
Just because I raised a point, does not mean I didn’t share his sentiments
It’s a shame, really. But I’m also not going to sit back and take a vicious tongue lashing like he gave me, without defending myself and explaining my comments
Which is exactly what I did
Again . . . just because I’m concerned that these guys might offend again when released from prison, does NOT mean I believe they’re not guilty and/or should get a pass
I’m not even sure how he arrived at that conclusion. But from the way he responded to me, it’s clear that he did arrive at that conclusion. Incorrectly, I might add. But if you read my earlier comment calling these guys scumbags, it’s pretty clear that I don’t think what these guys is okay, and that I’m glad they got punished
The guy got 3 years but he will probably get credit for time served, some knocked off for good behavior, and participating in the latest Get Out Sooner program; which means he will probably be out before Easter.
The guy who was in on it at the tag agency should have gotten 3 years. He was no doubt getting a fee for each title laundered and may have ratted the sales guy out and/or turned state’s witness in order to get probation.
The guy that got probation probably provided enough data to make a stronger case against the other 2
The other 2 may take some serious offense to him providing anything. If he turns up missing later it could be assumed they were real upset with him… 
I agree with you db. so did mike, even tho he did not seem to get that. I was just poking the bear…
…and I wonder why I have all these scars?
you really can t take me literally very often…
…I ve never really poked an actual bear for instance…
There’s more to it than criminal penalties for the perps. this could discourage others from doing the same thing. Every little bit helps. It seems to me that the dealer should have gotten a longer sentence, but I have no reason to believe that the judge did not follow NJ rules in meting out the jail term. And this is only one case in NJ. I imagine that other re titled flood cars from Sandy were sold thoughout the Northeast an nearby areas.
@wesw
You told me I was yelling
To which I responded that I was indeed yelling . . . in my response to Mike
As we all know, it’s not always easy to gauge somebody’s tone over cyberspace
However, in the case of Mike’s response to me, I didn’t need to gauge the tone. Because his words were clear enough