FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – A complex automobile fraud scheme that bilked lenders and buyers out of $1.67 million has landed eight individuals in federal hot water. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that Mark David Johnson, 41, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and seven co-conspirators are facing multiple charges related to the operation, which spanned nearly seven years.
The indictment alleges that between September 2008 and February 2015, the group systematically obtained mortgaged automobiles through deceit, utilizing straw buyers and even outright theft. David William Wheat, 66, of Fort Pierce, Florida, is accused of crafting and mailing fraudulent lien notices – official-looking documents designed to mislead lenders and facilitate the scheme. The operation wasn’t confined to Florida; James Carrington, 37, of Aurora, Missouri, allegedly played a key role in stealing vehicles and transporting them south.
The ringleaders then hid the cars across Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, evading repossession while illegally removing the rightful owners from the vehicle titles. Michael Kennedy Brown, 53, of Delray Beach, Florida, along with Michael Munday, a/k/a “Mickey,” 71, of North Miami, Florida, Juan Ottavianelli, 71, of North Miami, Florida, and Edwin Fernandes, 50, of North Miami, Florida, allegedly provided storage for the fraudulently obtained vehicles. Jana Kabelova, 41, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is also named in the indictment, accused of recruiting the initial straw buyers who kickstarted the fraudulent purchases.
The scheme wasn’t just about acquiring the cars; it was about profiting from them. Once the titles were manipulated, the cars were sold to co-conspirators at below-market rates, allowing them to flip the vehicles for a substantial profit. Wheat then allegedly filed applications for new titles with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, further cementing the fraudulent ownership. Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg, along with Brian Swain of the U.S. Secret Service and Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione, jointly announced the charges.
All eight defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, and mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. If convicted, each faces a hefty penalty: up to twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and an order to pay full restitution to the victims. Initial hearings are scheduled for May 5, 2017, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes.
“This was a calculated and elaborate scheme designed to defraud financial institutions and individuals,” stated a source close to the investigation. “The U.S. Secret Service and Fort Lauderdale PD worked tirelessly to untangle the web of lies and bring these individuals to justice.” An indictment is, of course, not a conviction. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Court documents can be found at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Related Federal Cases
- Timothy Roberts, Wire Fraud, Florida 2024 · New Hampshire
- Henry Thomas Hammond, Investment Fraud Scheme, Florida 2010 · Kansas
- Florida Woman, Identity Theft Tax Fraud, Florida 2023 · Missouri
- James Johnson, Tax Preparation Scam, Florida 2022 · Pennsylvania
- Corey Buddle, Mail and Wire Fraud, New York 2024 · Missouri
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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