'UPS Of Smuggling Industry' Gets 12 Years In Prison

MIAMI, FL — A North Miami man who once boasted he was the “UPS of the smuggling industry” and a master of evading law enforcement, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for an elaborate auto fraud scheme that netted more than $1.8 million, according to federal prosecutors. Seventy-two-year-old Michael “Mickey” Munday and his co-conspirators used several towing and repossession companies as fronts for their scheme.

The sentence was announced on Monday by U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg, Special Agent In Charge Brian Swan of the U.S. Secret Service and Chief Rick Maglione of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

Munday was convicted on Jan. 17 of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and five counts of mail fraud. Nine others were indicted and pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme.

"The evidence presented at trial established that Munday obtained vehicles from throughout the country using various fraudulent methods," federal prosecutors explained. "These methods included, among other things, convincing people who were behind on their car payments to turn over their vehicles to him in exchange for cash, illegally repossessing vehicles and covertly transporting stolen cars from other states to Florida."

Prosecutors said that more than 150 cars were involved from around the country. Banks lost more than $1.7 million in the scheme.

So many cars were involved in the scheme that Munday kept some at his North Miami home, according to prosecutors.

"Sham auctions were then held at a strip mall, some of which were facilitated by Munday," prosecutors claimed. "Only one car appeared at an 'auction' and there were never any customers. After the sham auction was held, the conspirators then cleaned the respective car titles by falsely and fraudulently removing the legitimate owners and lien holders from the title."

The cars were sold to an accomplice in the automotive wholesale business at prices below market value. They were then resold to local dealerships.

Munday was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua S. Rothstein and Anne P. McNamara.

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