Chicago man sentenced 6 years for luxury car theft scheme
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Alexander Weatherspoon aka Tyler Simmons sentenced to six years in federal prison for a $1.5 million scheme.
According to court documents, Weatherspoon, 28, from December 2017 to August 2019, participated in a scheme using other peoples’ names, addresses and Social Security numbers, to finance luxury vehicles. Weatherspoon obtained in total four Dodge Charger Hellcats and a Porsche Panamera GTS.
Once the cars were purchased and delivered from multiple dealerships to Weatherspoon, he defaulted on the loans he took out in others’ names and kept or sold the cars for less than retail value.
FBI agents interviewed Weatherspoon about the scheme on Aug. 27, 2019. Weatherspoon lied to the agents about his identity and falsely claimed he bought one of the cars for $25,000. In reality, he financed the deal under a fake identity and purchased the car for $56,443.
Weatherspoon pleaded guilty to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements.
In total, investigators found that Weatherspoon was responsible for securing $1,450,646 in fraudulent financing for 24 vehicles.
“For nearly two years, this defendant operated a nationwide scam—fleecing car dealerships and damaging the credit and security of innocent identity theft victims,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers in a statement.
FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton said in a statement, “This sentence clearly demonstrates the severity of the illegal activity the defendant perpetrated all in an effort to enrich himself at the expense of unwitting victims,”
U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young also ordered that Weatherspoon be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following his release.
