TRENTON - Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that seven defendants have been charged in four separate indictments for their roles in a stolen automobile trafficking ring.
According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, a Feb. 27 Union County grand jury indictment charged:
- Patryk Zygadlo, 28, of Linden, with second-degree conspiracy and second-degree receiving stolen property, as well as two counts of theft by deception and one count each of fencing, insurance fraud, and tampering with public records or information, all in the third degree;
- Mariusz Zygadlo, 24, of Monroe, with theft by deception, fencing and conspiracy, all in the third-degree;
- Sebastian Bes, 24, of Monroe, with theft by deception, fencing and conspiracy, all in the third degree;
- Marek Zygadlo, 43, of Monroe, with conspiracy and receiving stolen property, both in the third degree;
The indictment charges that between May 13, 2003 and March 24, 2004, Patryk Zygadlo twice altered the vehicle identification number of a red 2003 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer, which had been stolen from Sunshine Ford Lincoln Mercury in Newburgh, N.Y. He allegedly changed the VIN number the first time in order to commit insurance fraud and theft by deception. According to the indictment, he allegedly reported the vehicle stolen to the New Brunswick Police Department and subsequently submitted two claims to State Farm – one for $2,972 for a rental car and another for $26,685 for the value of the vehicle. State Farm paid Patryk Zygadlo $2,150 before denying the second claim for the value of the vehicle.
Patryk Zygadlo allegedly changed the VIN number a second time and conspired with his brother, Mariusz Zygadlo, his uncle, Marek Zygadlo and his cousin, Bes, to resell the vehicle on eBay to a customer in Idaho for $28,350. The customer wired the money to Bes’ bank account. After Bes received the money, he allegedly wired $7,500 of it to Mariusz Zygadlo.
As part of the same investigation, five individuals were charged in three Middlesex County grand jury indictments which were voted on Feb. 20, but handed up yesterday.
The first indictment charges Miroslaw Zygadlo, 52, of Monroe Township, the father of Patryk and Mariusz, with two counts of third-degree conspiracy; and three counts of receiving stolen property; his wife, Izabela Zygadlo, 54, of Monroe Township, with two counts of conspiracy; and two counts of receiving stolen property; and Mariusz Zygadlo with conspiracy; and receiving stolen property. All of these counts are in the third degree.
The second indictment charges Magdelena Karpinska, of Monroe Township, half-sister of Patryk and Mariusz, and Mariusz Zygadlo with one count each of conspiracy and receiving stolen property, all in the third-degree.
The third indictment charges Bes with third-degree receiving stolen property.
The three indictments allege that between 2002 and 2004, the defendants registered and operated six stolen retagged vehicles. The six stolen vehicles include a 2002 Ford F350 pickup truck, a 2000 Toyota Camry, a 2001 Chrysler 300M, a 2002 Chrysler 300M, a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, and a 2003 Jeep Wrangler, as well as Honda snowblowers.
Some of the vehicles had been reported stolen from various automobile dealerships including Meadowland Chrysler Plymouth in Carmel, N.Y.; Sarrat Ford Sales in Agawam, Mass.; Ramsey Auto Group in Ramsey, N.J.; and Formula 1 Auto Works in Middletown, N.Y.; as well as from an individual owner who lives in Avoca, Pa.
A retagged automobile is an automobile in which the vehicle identification number is removed so that another VIN can be inserted. By changing the VIN plates, thieves are able to conceal the true identity of the car and the fact that it has been reported stolen. This facilitates resale.
State Investigators Jeffrey Lorman, Jarek Pyrzanowski and Deputy Attorney General Jacqueline Smith were assigned to the investigation. Smith presented the cases to the Union County and Middlesex County grand juries.
The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum punishment of 10 years in state prison and a fine of 150,000, while third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in state prison and a criminal fine of $15,000.
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