Third Man Pleads Guilty in Fraud Scheme Targeting Buick Dealership

ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Fairview, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

Adam James Weaver, 41, of Fairview, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around May 2015, to in and around March 2016, Weaver and two-defendants engaged in a scheme to defraud auto loans providers by utilizing two straw purchasers to buy vehicles in their own names from Rick Weaver Buick GMC. The three facilitated the scheme by falsifying the loan applications to make the straw purchasers appear more credit worthy and by not revealing that the straw purchasers were buying multiple vehicles at the same time. The value of many of the vehicles was also inflated to increase the funds received by the co-conspirators.

Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2018 at 12:45 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued Weaver on bond.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Weaver.