Overview

• Simon C. Nwaru, Jr., former owner of S. Automotive Ltd. in Whitehall, Ohio, has been indicted on eight counts of federal odometer fraud.
• Between November 2020 and May 2022, Nwaru allegedly tampered with odometers to reduce mileage by 80,000 to 100,000 miles on eight vehicles before selling them.
• The charges stem from a joint investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA’s Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation, and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigations Section.
• Odometer fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison, highlighting the seriousness of consumer deception in the automotive market.
• NHTSA estimates odometer fraud costs U.S. consumers over $1 billion annually and urges public reporting to combat such practices.