CONCORD – Solomon Yarteh, 50, a Sierra Leone national, has pleaded guilty in federal court to orchestrating a massive car loan fraud scheme that siphoned over $430,000 from multiple financial institutions.
The U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announced the plea today, with sentencing scheduled for October 7, 2024. Yarteh’s co-conspirators, Donna Silva, Niurka Lebron, and Robosteur St. Felix, all previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced in 2022.
Yarteh, owner and President of Allied Imports, a car wholesaler in Manchester, was not licensed to sell vehicles to retail customers but rather to dealers. His business was situated next to Cap’s Auto Sales, a legally licensed vehicle seller. St. Felix controlled Cap’s Auto.
Between February 2019 and July 2019, Yarteh led a scheme to defraud lenders by using fraudulent documents to obtain multiple car loans. These loans were supposed to be secured by vehicles from Allied Imports or Cap’s Auto, but the cars actually belonged to other companies. The proceeds were funneled into accounts Yarteh controlled.
Yarteh was originally indicted in 2021 but fled to the United Arab Emirates. INTERPOL issued a red notice for his arrest, leading to his capture in Dubai in spring 2023. With the cooperation of the Emirati government, he was extradited to the United States and has remained in custody.
The maximum sentence for Yarteh’s crimes includes 30 years in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and Charles L. Rombeau are prosecuting this case.
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Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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