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TRENTON
Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that three members of an Atlantic County
family were indicted today for their alleged
roles in a scheme to traffick stolen vehicles
from New Jersey to the Republic of Ukraine.
According
to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Riza
Dagli, Yakov Kovalev, 48, Kovalev’s
wife, Marina Kovalev, 42, and their son,
Radion "Radik" Kovalev, 19, each
of Buena, were each charged with second-degree
receiving stolen property and second-degree
fencing. Yakov Kovalev was additionally
charged with second-degree leader of an
auto theft network.
The Union County grand jury indictment alleges
that between Oct. 25, 2008 and March 16,
2009, Yakov Kovalev conspired with others
as an organizer and manager in a scheme
to transport stolen automobiles from New
Jersey to the city of Odessa in the Republic
of Ukraine.
The indictment alleges that Yakov, Marina
and Radik Kovalev received the following
vehicles knowing that they had been stolen:
a 2009 Hummer H2 belonging to Turnersville
Auto Group, valued at approximately $65,000;
a 2009 Volkswagen Passat valued at approximately
$29,500, a 2009 Volkswagen Golf valued at
approximately $29,500, a 2009 Volkswagen
Passat valued at approximately $21,600,
all three belonging to Atlantic Chrysler
of Egg Harbor Township; a 2009 Ford Focus,
valued at approximately $18,500, a 2009
Ford Focus valued at approximately $20,400,
and a 2009 Ford Focus valued at approximately
$16,800, all belonging to Kindle Ford of
Cape May Court House.
Finally,
the indictment alleges that the Kovalevs
knowingly trafficked in the stolen vehicles.
The investigation by the Office of the Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor revealed that the Kovalevs
allegedly arranged to have the stolen vehicles
shipped from Elizabeth to the City of Odessa,
in the Republic of Ukraine, to be sold so
that they could split the proceeds.
The
investigation began when Interpol discovered
that the 2009 Hummer H2 was a stolen vehicle.
The
case will be venued in Union County, where
the defendants will be ordered to appear
in court to answer the charges at a later
date.
Detective
Jarek Pyrzanowski and Deputy Attorney General
John J. Higgins were assigned to the investigation.
Higgins presented the case to the Union
County grand jury. Acting Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor Dagli thanked the following agencies
for their assistance in the investigation:
Interpol, the New Jersey State Police, the
Bayonne Police Department, the Middletown
Police Department, the Washington Township
(Atlantic County) Police Department, the
Egg Harbor Township Police and NICB.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 10 years in state prison and
a criminal fine of $150,000.
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