Two Bronx men have been arrested in a complex identity fraud scheme to buy high-end vehicles at Ray Catena Lexus of Larchmont and other car dealerships throughout Westchester.
Prosecutors say Jankely Hidalgo and Jonathan Sevilla used forged driver’s licenses and victims’ personal identifying information such as social security numbers, to present themselves as legitimate buyers who wanted financing for expensive vehicles.
In October, 2017, Sevilla made a deal to finance an $86,741 vehicle, and drove it off the lot without paying for it.
Prosecutors say, the ring successfully stole 6 cars from different Westchester County dealerships from October 2017 to February 2018, including Land Rover of New Rochelle.
The value of the scheme is estimated between $500,000 and $1 million.
According to evidence developed during the course of the investigation, the stolen vehicles were to be exported to Africa for resale.
“Identity theft is a crime which can affect many victims and industries, as this alleged scheme shows. We are very proud of this multi-agency investigation which has led to these arrests, and thank, in particular the Westchester County Police for their work in this case,” said District Attorney Scarpino.
Photo: dealerrater.com
