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Mass. car dealer wanted for fraud, involving dozens of victims, arrested
At least 10 additional victims have come forward since last week.
The owner of a Swansea used car business has been arrested in connection with a fraud investigation involving dozens of possible victims, officials say.
Swansea police announced last week that Edward Cicciu, 46, of Attleboro was wanted by police on fraud-related charges.
Since May, police said about 25 people had reported they were defrauded by Bristol County Auto Exchange at 2388 Grand Army of the Republic Highway in Swansea.
At least 10 additional victims have come forward since the department’s announcement last week, according to a new statement from Swansea police.
Investigators determined that Cicciu would receive cars on loan from a local auction but would not get the titles for the vehicles until he paid the auction company in full, police said. The vehicles were then put up for sale at Bristol County Auto Exchange.
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Cicciu would allegedly sell the cars, keep the payments, and then put fake license plates on the vehicles, telling the purchasers that a title and registration would be mailed to them. The business owner would then allegedly stop responding to the victims, who say they never got their titles and could not register the vehicles.
Cicciu would not pay the auction company, which still owns the victims’ vehicles and is in the process of repossessing them, officials say.
Cicciu was arrested by Boston police at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday and is charged with nine counts of larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses; eight counts of forge/misuse of RMV document; 13 counts of title, failure to deliver upon motor vehicle transfer; four counts of larceny of a motor vehicle; and one count of larceny by check over $1,200, police said.
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More charges are expected to be filed over the coming days, the department said. The matter remains under investigation by the Swansea Police Department.
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