The owner of a Massachusetts used car business who'd been wanted since last week on suspicion of fraud, theft and other charges was arrested Tuesday in Boston, police said.
Swansea police were still on Wednesday urging anyone who thinks they were a victim in Edward Cicciu's alleged fraud scheme at the Bristol County Auto Exchange, located at 2388 Grand Army of the Republic Highway to contact them.
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The department had said on Thursday that they'd had about 25 people report that they were defrauded by Cicciu and announced that he was wanted on fraud-related charges. Officials said Wednesday that the 46-year-old Attleborough resident was arrested on charges of larceny, forging or misusing RMV documents and failing to deliver on a motor vehicle transfer.
It wasn't immediately clear if Cicciu had an attorney who could speak to the charges, which he was due to face in Fall River District Court Thursday.
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"I want to thank our law enforcement partners who helped to spread the word about the warrants for Mr. Cicciu's arrest, leading to him being taken into custody last night in Boston," Police Chief Mark Foley said in a statement. "Since we announced the warrants last week, several additional victims have come forward and we remain diligent as we continue to work on this case."
More Swansea news
Authorities have said that Cicciu receives cars on loan from a local auction but does not receive the titles for the vehicles until he pays the auction in full. The vehicles are then put up for sale at Bristol County Auto Exchange.
Cicciu completes a sale, takes the payment, attaches fake or forged license plates and promises that a title and registration will be mailed to the purchaser, police have said. But then he allegedly stops responding to the victims and never pays the auction for the vehicle.
The purchasers then never receive the titles and cannot register the vehicles, according to police. And because the auction company still owns the victims' vehicles, they are in the process of repossessing them.
The Swansea Police Department asked anyone who believes they may have been affected by the alleged scheme to call them at 508-674-8464.
