TRENTON, N.J. — Sixty-three people have been charged for their alleged roles in an auto theft trafficking enterprise that authorities say stole more than 90 luxury vehicles valued at more than $8 million and shipped many of them to buyers in West Africa.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor and the New Jersey State Police announced the charges Monday following a yearlong investigation into the alleged criminal enterprise.
All 63 defendants are charged with first-degree racketeering for their alleged participation in the conspiracy. Additional charges include participation in an auto theft trafficking network, motor vehicle theft, receiving stolen property and residential burglary. View the complete list of defendants and charges here.
According to investigators, the organization operated throughout New Jersey and New York from June 2025 through June 2026, targeting high-end vehicles, including Range Rovers, Porsches and BMWs.
Authorities allege theft crews often committed residential burglaries to steal key fobs before taking the vehicles. The stolen vehicles were then transported to brokers and sold to buyers, many of whom intended to ship the vehicles to Ghana and Nigeria for resale.
“To those who participate in organized auto theft and trafficking networks, our message is simple: New Jersey will continue to pursue these cases aggressively,” said Attorney General Davenport. “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.”
“These auto-theft enterprises do more than simply steal cars,” said Acting New Jersey Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Bernard J. Cooney. “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.”
“Auto theft is not a victimless crime. It leaves victims facing significant financial hardship, emotional stress, and the disruption of their daily lives. These crimes also create serious public safety concerns, as offenders often engage in reckless and dangerous behavior that puts innocent motorists, pedestrians, and responding law enforcement officers at risk,” said Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Jeanne Hengemuhle. “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.”
Investigators identified multiple levels of the alleged criminal enterprise, with members assigned specific roles in stealing, transporting, brokering and shipping the vehicles.
Authorities allege Fatim Wingate, 26, Brian J. Peppers, 35, Adamu Alhassan, 28, and Standford Oduro, 55, all of Newark, served as leaders of the operation. Oduro allegedly operated a shipping yard in Irvington where investigators say stolen vehicles were received, loaded into shipping containers and transported to ports in New Jersey and New York for overseas shipment.
According to investigators, buyers also allegedly financed the criminal enterprise by providing money used to facilitate additional vehicle thefts.
If convicted, defendants charged with first-degree offenses face 10 to 20 years in state prison and fines of up to $200,000. First-degree money laundering carries a maximum fine of $500,000. Second-degree offenses are punishable by five to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $150,000. Third-degree offenses carry prison terms of three to five years and fines of up to $15,000.
