Former Ohio car dealer indicted for odometer fraud

OHIO — A former car dealership owner in Whitehall has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly tampering with odometers on vehicles he sold.

Simon C. Nwaru, Jr., 38, of Columbus, operated S. Automotive Ltd. and is accused of altering the mileage on cars to make them appear less used.

According to the indictment, between November 2020 and May 2022, Nwaru allegedly rolled back odometers by approximately 80,000 to 100,000 miles on eight vehicles before selling them to unsuspecting buyers.

Odometer fraud is a federal offense that carries a potential penalty of up to three years in prison.

The charges were announced Thursday by Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Prichard and was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigations Section.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates odometer fraud costs U.S. consumers more than $1 billion annually. The public is encouraged to report suspected cases by emailing odometerfraud@dot.gov or calling 800-424-9393.

An indictment is a formal charge and does not imply guilt. Nwaru is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise in court.