Miami, FL - A Miami tag agency clerk is facing charges after allegedly participating in a multi-million dollar title fraud scheme involving stolen luxury vehicles.
Doral police arrested 27-year-old Katherine M. Vera Moran on Monday.
Prosecutors accuse Moran of using her position at the Baumgardner Auto Tag Agency to forge titles and tax documents for stolen vehicles.
The investigation began in January with a raid on a Doral chop shop, where authorities recovered several high-end stolen cars, including a Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, and Mercedes-Benz G550.
According to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, Vera Moran allegedly received $800 to $1,000 per fraudulent title, processing documents for at least 12 stolen vehicles with a combined value of over $3.3 million.
The SAO alleges she manipulated vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to disguise the true condition of the cars, transferring titles for wrecked vehicles as if they were in perfect shape.
Authorities believe Vera Moran may have been processing fraudulent titles for private individuals in addition to dealerships, and that she received additional cash payments from those clients.
A search of her phone reportedly revealed photos of driver's licenses and title documents.
Vera Moran is facing 18 counts each of official misconduct and title fraud.
She is currently being held on a $50,000 bond and faces additional charges unrelated to the title fraud scheme.
The investigation involved collaboration with Doral and Miami police departments, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and the Miami-Dade tax collector's office.