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Press Release

Huntsville Man Convicted on Multiple Counts of Tampering with Vehicle Odometers and Bank Fraud

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Alabama

Huntsville – A federal jury on Thursday, April 4, 2019, convicted a Huntsville man on multiple counts of tampering with vehicle odometers and three counts of bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Michael Williams. 

 

Following a four day trial before U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon, and only a 20-minute deliberation by the jury, Randy Eugene Greene, 62, was convicted of 11 counts of tampering with vehicle odometers and 3 counts of bank fraud.  A sentencing date has been set before Judge Abdul K. Kallon on July 17, 2019.

 

Randy Eugene Greene, d/b/a RJ’s Auto Sales on South Memorial Parkway in Huntsville, was convicted by the jury of 11 counts of tampering with vehicle odometers and 3 counts of bank fraud.  In the 11 counts related to odometer tampering, the offenses occurred between approximately October 1, 2014, and November 2, 2016.  The largest discrepancy in the changed odometer reading was approximately 218,678 miles.  The average discrepancy in the mileage on the odometers for the various vehicles was 122,046 miles.  In the three counts related to Bank Fraud, Greene engaged in a scheme to defraud Redstone Federal Credit Union.  The fraud occurred when the credit union financed three of the vehicles on which the odometers had been changed.  Greene was served with a notice of forfeiture related to the bank fraud counts, which includes but is not limited to a money judgement in the amount of $28,000.

 

During the trial, the government presented testimony from the eleven victims who purchased the vehicles from Greene and his business.  All said that they would not have bought the vehicles or would not have paid what they did had they known the true mileage on the vehicles.  The government also presented evidence from auto auction dealers who testified about the mileage that was on the vehicles when they were originally sold to Greene.  Witnesses, as well as Greene, who took the witness stand, said that changing odometer readings is a clear violation of federal law.

            “This type of economic fraud hurts both consumers and financial institutions,” Town said.  “Our investigators and prosecutors will continue to protect the public from fraud whenever it occurs so that they have confidence when making vehicle purchases, what is traditionally the second largest consumer purchase Americans make.  This conviction reinforces the message to every individual who would engage in this kind of thieving behavior for personal gain that the United States Attorney’s Office will bring the weight of a federal prosecution upon them and make their victims whole.”

            “It is very important that consumers and financial institutions know that the vehicle being purchased from any auto dealership represents the true odometer reading,” Williams said. “If you have purchased a vehicle from RJ’s Auto Sales of Huntsville within the last five years and believe you are a victim of odometer rollback fraud, please contact the U.S. Secret Service at 256-922-5408.”

 

Tampering with an odometer carries a maximum 3-year prison sentence and a maximum $250,000 fine. 

 

Bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum $1,000,000 fine.

 

The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Russell E. Penfield and Leann White prosecuted.

Updated April 10, 2019

Topic
Financial Fraud