New York Woman Sentenced to 21 Years in Jail for Exporting Stolen Cars
A New York woman on March 14 was sentenced to over 21 years in prison for her role as the leader of a group that exported stolen luxury cars worth over $2.5 million to West Africa, said the Justice Department. Hope Kantete of Brooklyn had been convicted in June of 10 counts of transportation of stolen vehicles in interstate or foreign commerce and a one count of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles in interstate or foreign commerce, said DOJ.
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According to DOJ, Kantete employed other individuals who bought stolen and carjacked vehicles from thieves operating in northern New Jersey and New York. Kantete then had individuals “re-tag,” or place new vehicle identification numbers, on the stolen cars and create fake title documents so that the cars could be shipped out of the country, said DOJ. After the documents were created, Kantete had the cars loaded onto shipping containers and sent to ports in West Africa. The cars could be re-sold in West Africa for at least twice their retail value in the United States, said DOJ.
New Jersey U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler sentenced Kantete to 262 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Kantete will also have to pay $346,937 in restitution.