Dauphin County, PA — Thirteen people are facing charges in a high-dollar title-washing scheme that trafficked luxury vehicles from Florida to central Pennsylvania and “cleaned” their paperwork to resell them for profit, according to court records and Attorney General Dave Sunday.
The “Troncoso Organization” and How It Worked
The investigation centers on a criminal group known as the “Troncoso Organization,” which is accused of transporting stolen or lien-attached cars from Florida and re-registering them in Pennsylvania using fraudulent documentation.
According to a Grand Jury presentment filed in Magisterial District Judge Paul Zozos’ office, the group took vehicles to licensed notaries in Berks, Dauphin, and Lehigh counties, where they presented fake ownership documents. Instead of waiting for legitimate titles by mail, the suspects visited PennDOT’s headquarters in Dauphin County, claiming the titles were lost or stolen.
Once they obtained fraudulent clean titles, they attempted to sell the vehicles — which included Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Lexus, Land Rover, and Audi — to:
- Dealerships
- Facebook Marketplace buyers
- Vehicle auctions
“This sophisticated criminal organization washed clean high-end vehicles that were stolen in Florida then sold to unsuspecting buyers,” said Attorney General Dave Sunday, as reported by ABC27 News.
$1 Million in Fraudulent Gains
Officials say the organization profited more than $1 million from the scheme. The Grand Jury identified 25 vehicles that had been “washed” and re-titled in the names of various defendants.
Sunday explained that title-washing involves removing any paper trail of liens or theft by registering a vehicle in another state under false credentials — a process the group allegedly perfected over several months.
Leaders and Key Players Identified
The Grand Jury named three individuals as ringleaders of the operation:
- Anthony Troncoso, 43 – Alleged mastermind
- Brandon Troncoso, 22 – Anthony’s son and central Pennsylvania handler
- Dario Jimenez-Lopez, 42 – Florida-based dealer who supplied cars and dealer tags
Other individuals charged include:
- Aida Flores (Brandon’s mother): 13 charges
- Christina DeMase (Anthony’s girlfriend)
- Jean Garcia Rodriguez: 17 charges
- Samantha Rosario: 10 charges
- Heicha Vega-Baez: 18 charges
- Michael Ramirez: 15 charges
- Fabiola Lucena: 1 charge
- Pablo Correa: 17 charges
- Jose Ariza: 17 charges
- Jeffrey Candelo: 10 charges
The Grand Jury found that while Anthony Troncoso directed the operation, Brandon handled the paperwork and resales in Pennsylvania. Jimenez-Lopez, operating from Florida, used his dealership connections to provide cars and plates for the transport.
How the Case Was Uncovered
The investigation began in November 2022 when Carlisle Cadillac alerted Pennsylvania State Police after two individuals tried to sell a Porsche with questionable paperwork. Although the title presented showed New Jersey registration, dealership staff noticed it had actually been registered in Florida.
“Without the collaboration of numerous law enforcement partners, and the diligence of the grand jurors, this elaborate scheme would not have been unraveled,” Sunday added in his official remarks.
Fake IDs and Fraudulent Paper Trails
According to Attorney General Sunday, additional charges have been filed against Florida residents accused of helping the group obtain fake documents used to get Pennsylvania state IDs, which were then used in the vehicle re-titling process.
The Office of Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section will handle prosecution for all defendants.
What’s your opinion on this million-dollar fraud ring? Tell us in the comments.
