Attorney General, State Police, Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Announce Charges Against 63 Individuals in Sprawling Auto Theft Trafficking Enterprise

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 TRENTON — Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, and the New Jersey State Police today announced charges against 63 people for their roles in a sprawling auto theft trafficking enterprise that allegedly shipped scores of stolen, high-end vehicles to buyers in West Africa.

Among other charges, all the defendants are charged with first-degree racketeering for their participation in the conspiracy, which involved targeting specific vehicles, stealing them – often committing home burglaries to obtain the key fobs for the vehicles – and brokering the stolen cars to buyers who intended to sell them overseas. (See attached chart.) The defendants also face several additional second- and third-degree charges, including participation in an auto theft trafficking network, motor vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, and residential burglary. The investigation identified that the organization was responsible for more than 90 stolen vehicles with a combined value of more than $8 million.

“To those who participate in organized auto theft and trafficking networks, our message is simple: New Jersey will continue to pursue these cases aggressively,” said Attorney General Davenport. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to dismantle auto theft networks and prosecute without hesitation those who profit from stealing from the hardworking people of New Jersey.”

“These auto-theft enterprises do more than simply steal cars,” said Acting New Jersey Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Bernard J. Cooney. “They endanger public safety, lead to violence, and fuel fear in our communities. Such crimes also impose significant costs throughout the insurance system that can ultimately affect the affordability of auto insurance for law-abiding New Jersey drivers.”

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