An Illinois man, Hussein Ghzo, 42, from Palos Heights, was convicted by a federal jury last Friday for conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Ghzo, along with his brother Laith Ghzo, 38, and associate Musab Sawai, 36, deceived consumers by altering odometer readings on hundreds of used cars.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the defendants purchased high-mileage vehicles at auto auctions and transported them to Chicago. They proceeded to modify the odometer readings to display lower mileage, created fraudulent title documents reflecting these alterations, and submitted these documents to the Illinois Secretary of State. As a result, the cars were resold at other auctions with misleading low mileage titles.
Throughout the trial, it was shown that Hussein Ghzo had received warnings on three separate occasions regarding the rolled-back mileage of the vehicles he was selling. Despite this, he continued with the fraudulent activities, even impersonating others to conceal his identity. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah of the Northern District of Illinois oversaw the proceedings.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton highlighted the Justice Department’s dedication to prosecuting those who mislead consumers, asserting that the fraudulent scheme undermined crucial consumer information related to vehicle safety and anticipated repair costs.
Hussein Ghzo is set to be sentenced on January 22, 2025, and could face up to five years in prison. The federal district court judge will determine the final sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant statutory factors.
Laith Ghzo and Musab Sawai have previously pleaded guilty in this case and are awaiting their sentencing. Laith Ghzo is scheduled for sentencing on October 31, while Musab Sawai’s date has yet to be determined.
