New Jersey prosecutors charged 63 people on Monday for allegedly operating an auto theft network that investigators say stole more than 90 luxury vehicles worth more than $8 million and shipped many of them to buyers in West Africa.
The defendants, ages 18 to 60, are all charged with racketeering for their alleged participation in the operation between June 2025 and June 2026. Prosecutors accused them of targeting high-end vehicles, including Range Rovers, Porsches and BMWs, before arranging to sell many of them to buyers in Ghana and Nigeria.
“ For many New Jersey residents, a vehicle is far more than property. It's how you get to work, take your children to school, attend medical appointments, and meet the demands of everyday life,” Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said. “It's also one of the most costly purchases. When a vehicle is stolen, victims lose more than a car. They lose time, money, peace of mind, and a sense of security in their own communities.”
According to the New Jersey Attorney General’s office, each member of the ring had a specific role. Prosecutors said the alleged thieves would often break into homes to obtain vehicle key fobs.
Many also face charges including residential burglary, participation in an auto theft trafficking network, motor vehicle theft and receiving stolen property.
“Auto theft is not an isolated crime. It often involves the commission of other crimes, some of them extremely dangerous,” Davenport said at a press conference announcing the charges on Monday.
Prosecutors said theft crews delivered stolen vehicles to "fences," or people accused of buying and reselling stolen goods. Authorities identified Fatim Wingate, 26, and Brian Peppers, 35, as two of the alleged leaders. Prosecutors also accuse Adamu Alhassan, 28, and Standford Oduro, 56, of helping facilitate the sales, alleging Oduro operated a shipping yard in Irvington where stolen vehicles were loaded into shipping containers.
Charging records show all four were in custody pending detention hearings.
Attempts to reach attorneys representing the defendants were not immediately successful.
