New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, and the New Jersey State Police announced charges against 63 individuals accused of participating in a large-scale auto theft trafficking enterprise responsible for stealing more than 90 luxury vehicles worth over $8 million and shipping many of them to buyers in West Africa.

According to investigators, the criminal organization operated throughout New Jersey and New York between June 2025 and June 2026, targeting high-end vehicles including Range Rovers, Porsches, and BMWs. Theft crews allegedly carried out vehicle thefts, often breaking into homes to steal key fobs before taking the vehicles.

Authorities say the stolen vehicles were funneled through a network of alleged “fences” before being sold to buyers, many of whom shipped the vehicles to destinations in Ghana and Nigeria. Investigators identified an Irvington shipping yard as a central hub where stolen vehicles were stored, loaded into shipping containers, and transported through ports in New Jersey and New York.

Among those charged are Fatim Wingate, 26, Brian J. Peppers, 35, Adamu Alhassan, 28, and Standford Oduro, 55, all of Newark, who prosecutors allege played leadership roles in the enterprise. Authorities say the organization was structured with theft crews, brokers, financiers, and shipping coordinators, each carrying out specific responsibilities within the operation.

All 63 defendants are charged with first-degree racketeering and face additional charges including participation in an auto theft trafficking network, motor vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, and residential burglary. Some defendants are also accused of involvement in armed robberies and commercial burglaries tied to the enterprise.

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said New Jersey will continue aggressively pursuing organized auto theft rings, while Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Bernard J. Cooney said these crimes increase insurance costs and threaten public safety. Acting New Jersey State Police Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle added that auto theft leaves victims with significant financial hardship and often involves dangerous criminal behavior.

The year-long investigation involved numerous local, county, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, and multiple police departments and prosecutor’s offices across New Jersey and New York.

The charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.