Nissan Dealership in Orange County Raided

District Attorney investigators are looking into accusations of identity theft. Thousands may be at risk, prosecutors say.

By: KIMBERLY EDDS
First published in The Orange County Register
Link to source article: Check out the video of the raid.

A Nissan dealership here was raided Monday by dozens of investigators from Orange County District Attorney's Office and the Orange police department as part of a months-long investigation in complaints of identity theft by the dealership.

The investigation into Douglas Nissan at 1140 W. Katella Avenue is still in its infancy, officials said at a press conference in front of the dealership, but there may have been thousands of fraudulent loans processed with the stolen identities of thousands of unsuspecting people in the scam. The vast majority of victims were Hispanic, prosecutors said.


GENERAL MANAGER: : Booking photo of Frank Ignacio Urbano, 54, of Anaheim. Urbano, a former part owner and general manager of Douglas Nissan in Orange, is charged with forgery, grand theft, and other counts in an alleged scheme to defraud banks and customers by artificially driving up the price of used vehicles.


Douglas Nissan remained open while uniformed police officers carted out more than 350 cardboard boxes packed with lease documents, dealer jackets, and loan applications. Potential customers wandered the lots of shiny new Altimas, Pathfinders and Titans. Salesmen patiently answered questions – about the cars – not the investigation. (I could only imagine - AFI)

“The only thing going on here is a big sale. Everyone knows that,” said a man who identified himself as a manager at the dealership, but refused to give his name. Other employees were pulled inside the dealership office when questioned by a small cluster of reporters and television cameras.

Prosecutors believe pilfered pay stubs, driver licenses and social security numbers were used to apply for – and get – fraudulent car loans at Douglas Nissan, said Susan Schroeder, a spokeswoman of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

“This is something that frightens everyone – that their identity might be stolen and they're left holding the bad credit,” Schroeder said.

The multi-agency investigation – which included representatives of the Department of Motor Vehicles - began about three months ago after complaints of fraudulent loans being processed by the dealership flooded the District Attorney's office.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim is asked to call the District Attorney's Office at (714)648-3626.

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