Simon C. Nwaru, Jr., 38, of Columbus, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to tampering with the odometers of vehicles sold at his former Whitehall dealership, S. Automotive Ltd. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea, which was entered before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison.
Nwaru, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025, admits to tampering with or altering odometers on almost 60% of the vehicles sold by his dealership since October 2014.
A thorough examination of sales records from January 2021 to January 2023 revealed that at least 300 vehicles were sold to unwary buyers with rolled-back odometers, removing an estimated 31 million miles from the vehicles’ actual mileage.
The plan not only deceived consumers but also falsified sales prices on documents submitted to the State of Ohio, resulting in a considerable loss of tax income.
The case, which revealed widespread deception in the used car market, was investigated by the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation, in collaboration with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigations Section.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Prichard represents the United States in this case.