More than 500 airbags were sold over four years. A federal judge has sentenced a Memphis, Tenn. man to 24 months in federal prison to be followed by two years of supervised release for trafficking in counterfeit motor vehicle airbags and transporting a hazardous material on an aircraft carrier without declaring it as a dangerous […]
New York Collision Repair Shop Owner Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Tax Fraud
Defendant did not pay nearly $1 million in taxes. A New York man was sentenced August 26 to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing income from the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, Aniello Strocchia, of Maspeth, owned and operated an auto repair shop. […]
Department of Justice Sues National General for Falsely Placing Insurance on More Than 650,000 Financed Vehicles
Alleges insurance was placed on vehicles financed by Wells Fargo even though borrowers already had insurance from other carriers. The United States has filed a civil complaint under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) against National General Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries alleging that, for over a decade, National General erroneously force-placed […]
Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Extend Public Comment Period on Serial Acquisitions, Roll-Up Strategies Across U.S. Economy
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced they are extending the deadline for the public to comment on serial acquisitions and roll-up strategies that harm competition by 60 days. As CollisionWeek reported in May, the joint request for information (RFI) seeks to learn more about how corporate actors, including private […]
Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Seeking Information on Competition Impact of Serial Acquisitions and Roll-Up Strategies
Agencies request information on how acquisition strategies impact competition across the economy including aftermarket/repair services. The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) jointly launched a public inquiry May 23 to identify serial acquisitions and roll-up strategies throughout the U.S. economy that the agencies say have led to consolidation and harmed competition. In a joint […]
California Collision Repair Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns
Orange County shop owner omitted nearly $3 million in income. The owner of three Orange County, Calif. auto body shops pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal criminal charge for deliberately failing to report nearly $3 million in income to the IRS over a seven-year period, causing a tax loss to the United States of almost […]
Justice Department Files Suit Against Virginia Towing Company That Auctioned Off Servicemembers’ Vehicles
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia alleging that Steve’s Towing Inc. in Virginia Beach, Va., violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by failing to obtain court orders before auctioning off vehicles belonging to at least seven SCRA-protected servicemembers, including two vehicles belonging to […]
Collision Repair Center Office Secretary Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Over $200,000 from Employer
Rhode Island woman pleaded guilty to mail fraud. A Pawtucket, R.I. woman who, while working as office secretary at Ideal Auto Body in Cranston, devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain the proceeds of nearly 200 checks provided to customers by their insurance companies to pay for vehicle repairs, has been sentenced to two years in federal […]
Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to Conspiracy Over Fraudulent Tax Filings at Maryland Collision Repair Facility
Defendants will be required to pay over $2 Million in restitution. Ercin Kalender, age 60, and Lizette Kalender, age 44, both of Alexandria, Virginia pleaded guilty February 3 to conspiracy in relation to tax fraud within their corporate filings and business taxes. As part of their plea agreements, the Kalenders have been ordered to pay […]
Massachusetts Towing Company Owner Sentenced for Tax Fraud and Evading Cash Transaction Reporting
The owner of a Revere, Mass. towing company was sentenced on charges of engaging in an under-the-table payroll fraud scheme that defrauded the government of more than $3.3 million. Gennaro Angiulo, 49, of Nahant and Saugus, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 42 months of probation with 18 months […]