Elinson Camacho, Vehicle Fraud Scheme, Pennsylvania 2024

Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Vehicle Fraud Scheme

In a shocking case of deceit and thievery, Elinson Camacho, a 31-year-old man from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $455,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for his involvement in a vehicle fraud scheme.

The scheme, which lasted from December 9, 2021, to July 24, 2022, involved Camacho and others defrauding two victims, referred to as Victim 1 and Victim 2. The scheme worked as follows: Camacho would arrange for vehicles to be rented and then posted for sale online with the false claim that they would be sold with clear titles. After the victims paid for the vehicles, Camacho and others would steal the cars back using vehicle key fobs that they had retained.

One of the instances of this scheme occurred in December 2021, when Camacho and his co-schemers caused a rented 2021 Toyota 4Runner Sport to be posted for sale online. They communicated and later met with Victim 1, who paid Camacho and a co-schemer $24,000 in cash for the vehicle. The next day, Camacho and the co-schemers caused the 4Runner to be stolen from its parking space outside Victim 1’s residence.

Another instance of the scheme occurred in July 2022, when Camacho and his co-schemers rented and posted for sale online a 2022 Honda CR-V. They communicated and later met with Victim 2, who paid Camacho and two others $15,000 in cash and $4,000 by check to purchase the CR-V. Two days later, Camacho and the co-schemers caused the CR-V to be stolen from Victim 2’s residence.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Northampton Township Police Department, and the Towamencin Township Police Department, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney S. Chandler Harris.

Camacho was charged by indictment in May 2024 with 18 counts of wire fraud and pleaded guilty to all counts in February of this year.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/philadelphia-man-sentenced-nine-years-prison-vehicle-fraud-scheme