Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a man who organized a nationwide scheme that stole $1.17 million worth of rental cars to 90 months in prison.
Tyrell A. Oliver, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, was also ordered to repay the money. Oliver hatched a scheme in which he reserved luxury rental vehicles using stolen credit card information and stolen identities. Oliver and others then picked up the rental cars by assuming the stolen identities and presenting false driver’s licenses and counterfeit credit cards at the rental location.
Oliver began the scheme in August of 2021 by trying to steal three rental vehicles, according to a sentencing memo filed in his case. On the third attempt, staff of the rental car company suspected fraud. Oliver fled and was arrested while trying to board a flight back to Atlanta. That arrest did not dissuade Oliver. Instead, he expanded his operation, recruiting others “to do his dirty work,” the memo says. Oliver paid his co-conspirators to fly to airports around the country, including in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, to steal cars on his behalf.
In all, Oliver and his co-conspirators used the stolen identities of at least 23 victims to steal 19 rental vehicles, Oliver’s plea agreement says.
Oliver, 40, pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. James E. McGhaney, 36, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. McGhaney recruited and supervised some of the other participants in the scheme, his plea agreement says. He is scheduled to be sentenced February 19.
Steven B. Matthews, 40, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. New York residents Shawnta B. Fonseca, 34, Reginald M. Glenn, 36, Marlique J. McGhaney, 35, and Daquasia M. Robinson, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Rashad Holder, 35, of New York, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Holder was sentenced to 65 months in prison in December and ordered to repay $581,711. Marlique McGhaney was sentenced to a year and a day in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $237,447. Matthews was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to repay $107,072. Glenn was sentenced to 13 months in prison. Fonseca and Robinson are scheduled to be sentenced in March.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.