Authorities allege the statewide criminal enterprise stole more than 90 luxury vehicles, using home burglaries to obtain key fobs before trafficking the vehicles overseas.
Trenton, NJ – The New Jersey Attorney General, New Jersey State Police, and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor announced Monday that 63 people have been charged in connection with an alleged auto theft trafficking enterprise responsible for stealing more than 90 luxury vehicles worth over $8 million. Investigators say the organization operated across New Jersey and New York, supplying stolen vehicles to buyers who shipped them to destinations including Ghana and Nigeria.
All 63 defendants face first-degree racketeering charges, along with a range of additional second- and third-degree offenses that include participation in an auto theft trafficking network, motor vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, and residential burglary. Authorities allege the organization frequently targeted high-end vehicles by breaking into homes to steal key fobs before taking the vehicles.
Enterprise allegedly targeted luxury vehicles
According to investigators, the criminal enterprise operated between June 2025 and June 2026, stealing luxury brands including Range Rovers, Porsche vehicles, and BMWs. Officials said the organization functioned as a structured operation, with theft crews, brokers, financiers, and shipping coordinators each playing specific roles.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said the state remains committed to dismantling organized auto theft operations.
“To those who participate in organized auto theft and trafficking networks, our message is simple: New Jersey will continue to pursue these cases aggressively,” Davenport said. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to dismantle auto theft networks and prosecute without hesitation those who profit from stealing from the hardworking people of New Jersey.”
Investigators identified Fatim Wingate, 26, Brian J. Peppers, 35, Adamu Alhassan, 28, and Standford Oduro, 55, all of Newark, as alleged leaders or key participants in the organization. Authorities allege Oduro operated a shipping yard in Irvington where stolen vehicles were stored inside shipping containers before being transported through the ports of New Jersey and New York.
Investigation uncovered international trafficking operation
Officials said multiple stolen vehicles recovered from shipping containers at regional ports were traced back to the Irvington shipping yard. According to court documents, investigators observed stolen vehicles being delivered to the facility before they were loaded for export.
Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Bernard J. Cooney said the operation extended beyond vehicle theft.
“These auto-theft enterprises do more than simply steal cars,” Cooney said. “They endanger public safety, lead to violence, and fuel fear in our communities. Such crimes also impose significant costs throughout the insurance system that can ultimately affect the affordability of auto insurance for law-abiding New Jersey drivers.”
Authorities also allege some theft crews committed residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, armed robberies, and other crimes while carrying out the scheme.
Multi-agency investigation spanned New Jersey and New York
The investigation was led by the New Jersey State Police Motor Vehicle Crimes North Unit with assistance from numerous local, county, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle said the investigation focused on protecting residents from the broader impact of organized vehicle theft.
“Auto theft is not a victimless crime. It leaves victims facing significant financial hardship, emotional stress, and the disruption of their daily lives,” Hengemuhle said. “Our commitment to combating auto theft is about protecting our communities, holding offenders accountable, and preventing the violence and dangerous conduct that can endanger the public.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Bureau Chief Evgeniya Sitnikova of the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. The charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Key Points
- Sixty-three people were charged in an alleged racketeering conspiracy involving more than 90 stolen luxury vehicles valued at over $8 million.
- Investigators allege the organization stole vehicles across New Jersey and New York before shipping many of them to buyers in Ghana and Nigeria.
- The investigation involved numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, with first-degree racketeering charges carrying potential prison terms of 10 to 20 years.
Related: New Jersey Attorney General, New Jersey State Police, Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, Newark, Irvington