A Hispanic woman employed by a vehicle registration agency has been arrested and charged with forging documents for stolen high-end cars that were then resold. The arrested individual, identified as Katherine Vera Morán, 32, worked at the Baumgardner license plate agency located at 1375 NW 36th Street in the Allapattah area, where she received between $800 and $1,000 in cash to register vehicles with false data.
Vera Morán, whose nationality has not been disclosed, was a key figure in a multimillion-dollar luxury car theft ring, according to authorities. Following a four-month investigation, she has been charged with a total of 36 counts—18 counts of fraud and 18 counts of official misconduct.
Investigation and Arrest
The case began when police received a call reporting a stolen car, with its GPS locating it inside a workshop in Doral, at 5161 NW 79th Avenue. After obtaining a search warrant, Doral police detectives entered the site, as revealed by America Tevé, and found not one but three stolen cars.
"We entered and identified three stolen cars: a Lamborghini, a Mercedes, and an Aston Martin, all high-value vehicles," said Edwin López, chief of Doral police, during a press conference.
At that moment, they arrested the workshop owner, who provided information leading them to Vera Morán. The police stated that they executed this scheme at least 18 times. The cars were stolen in Broward and Miami-Dade, repainted, had their VINs changed, and were registered with the help of the accused to be resold or rented.
Six people have been arrested in total, but more arrests are expected. "There are more suspects we haven't arrested yet, but we hope to identify others involved in the coming days," said the Doral police chief, noting the frequent use of minors to steal the cars.
Out of the 18 stolen vehicles, 12 have been recovered, all luxury cars valued around $200,000 each. Authorities estimate the total value of the recovered cars to be about $3.6 million. The police believe the missing vehicles might have been sold abroad.
Judge Mindy S. Glazer set a bail of $180,000 for Katherine Vera Morán, who remains detained at the TGK jail. Should she post bail, she must prove the money's legal origin and will be placed under house arrest.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office stated that "fraudulent title transfers not only deceive the system but cause significant harm to victims who suffer property loss and to insurance companies forced to cover theft claims."
Details on the Stolen High-End Vehicles Case
Here are some frequently asked questions about the case involving stolen high-end vehicles and the arrest of Katherine Vera Morán.
How was the stolen car ring discovered?
The ring was uncovered after police received a report of a stolen car, which led them to a workshop in Doral where they found multiple stolen vehicles.
What role did Katherine Vera Morán play in the scheme?
Vera Morán was responsible for registering the stolen vehicles with falsified documents, facilitating their resale or rental.
What charges is Katherine Vera Morán facing?
She faces 36 charges in total, including 18 counts of fraud and 18 counts of official misconduct.
How many stolen vehicles have been recovered?
Out of 18 stolen vehicles, 12 have been recovered, all of which are luxury cars valued around $200,000 each.