Auto dealer pleads guilty to odometer tampering

FLORIDA — An Orlando man has admitted to rolling back odometers on over 140 used vehicles, defrauding buyers nationwide.

Drew Mitchell Schreiber, owner of Central Florida Automotive Group, now known as Southeastern Credit Union Solutions in Winter Garden, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of odometer tampering, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Prosecutors said Mr Schreiber purchased high-mileage vehicles from auctions across Florida and rolled back their odometers by as much as 428,000 miles. These altered vehicles were resold to unsuspecting buyers through auto auctions and online sales, generating fraudulent profits.

Many of the tampered vehicles were issued “exempt” titles, which did not disclose their true mileage due to their age, authorities said.

“Just because a motor vehicle may be exempt from mileage recording on a title does not give a dealer the right to roll back odometers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

“Used car buyers deserve peace of mind knowing that the odometer reading in their vehicle is correct.”

The case was investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney David Sullivan of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kara Wick for the Middle District of Florida.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

Schreiber’s sentence will be determined by a federal judge based on statutory factors and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.