HARRISBURG, PA — A major vehicle title-washing scam has come to light as thirteen people, including a suspected mastermind and several accomplices, face charges. This extensive operation allegedly raked in over $1 million by trafficking stolen luxury cars from Florida through Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday made the announcement on Wednesday, revealing the result of an investigation conducted in conjunction with the 52nd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. The inquiry pointed to a sophisticated criminal group under the leadership of 44-year-old Anthony E. Troncoso. According to the authorities, Troncoso and his crew managed to get clean, seemingly legitimate Pennsylvania titles for stolen cars, which they then flipped to individuals, dealerships, and auctions.
“This elaborate organization was involved in laundering high-grade cars that were stolen in Florida and sold to buyers who had no idea,” stated Attorney General Sunday. He emphasized that the unraveling of this scheme was made possible thanks to the hard work of various law enforcement partners and the commitment of the grand jury.
The scam involved altering or falsifying essential documents concerning car ownership, registering, and insurance, effectively “washing” the titles by eliminating theft records at various licensed agencies and notary offices in Berks, Dauphin, and Lehigh counties, as well as at the PennDOT headquarters. The vehicles tied to this operation featured high-end brands like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Land Rover, Audi, Lexus, and Infiniti.
Most unlawful activities took place predominantly between 2022 and 2023, with many of these vehicles being sold off to unsuspecting buyers who were totally unaware of their shady backgrounds.
Facing a total of nine felony charges and six misdemeanors—including counts of engaging in corrupt organizations, deception theft, and title washing—Troncoso has several associates in his alleged network also facing charges, including family members and even his girlfriend. Arrests have already kicked off, with some defendants in custody and others expected to turn themselves in or face extradition from other locations.
The complete list of those charged alongside Troncoso includes:
- Brandon Troncoso (Anthony’s son): 5 charges, currently detained
- Aida Flores (Brandon’s mother): 13 charges, scheduled to surrender
- Christina DeMase (Anthony’s girlfriend): 1 charge, awaiting extradition from California
- Jean Garcia Rodriguez: 17 charges, planned surrender
- Samantha Rosario: 10 charges, not detained
- Heicha Vega-Baez: 18 charges, not detained
- Michael Ramirez: 15 charges, pending extradition from Florida
- Fabiola Lucena: 1 charge, in custody
- Pablo Correa, Jose Ariza, Jeffrey Candelo, and Dario Jiminez Lopez: facing multiple charges, none in custody at the moment
Investigators pointed out that some individuals in this case have connections to Mexico, with several living outside Pennsylvania, including in Florida and other states. Many also stand accused of fraudulently securing Pennsylvania ID cards with faked documents that facilitated their vehicle registration schemes.
The prosecution is being handled by the Insurance Fraud Section of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, with aid from the Pennsylvania State Police, detectives from Berks and Lehigh counties, New York City Police Department, and law enforcement from the Miami area.
At this point, all charges are merely allegations. The defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
