A Haverhill man is one of nine accused of defrauding lenders by obtaining fraudulent car loans with stolen identifications and fraudulent documents.
An indictment out of U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., charges Rolando E. Estrella, 32, of Dracut., a former owner of a used car dealership in Lawrence, and at least eight others conspired to defraud financial institutions in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and several other states. Thirty-two-year-old Fernando Diaz of Haverhill was among those charged in the grand jury indictment.
According to Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, the participants falsely identified involved bank account holders as “sellers” and shell used car businesses to induce lenders to extend loans purportedly to purchase used cars. False bills of sale, automobile titles, pay stubs, and proof of employment were created.
The U.S. attorney also alleged participants used stolen personal identification and the actual identities of some of the members to apply for loans and to open bank accounts in which the proceeds of fraudulent loans were deposited, after which the proceeds were quickly withdrawn.
Also named in the indictment are Emilio J. Frias-Reyes, 29, Erickson M. Ventura-Martinez, 25, Hiancarlos Mosquea-Ramos, 27, Bryant Polanco, 27, and Jonathan A. Pimental, 28, of Lawrence; and Juan E. Felix-Fernandez, 51, of Hartford, CT.
Frias-Reyes and Ventura-Martinez were arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence July 17, and released on unsecured bond. Polanco and Mosquea-Ramos were arraigned on July 20, and released on unsecured bond. Arrest warrants have been issued for Diaz, Pimental and Felix-Fernandez.