Trio Rolled Back Odometers On Hundreds Of Used Cars And Resold Them: Authorities

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — A south suburban man was convicted after a weeklong trial of conspiring to alter odometer readings on hundreds of used cars and resell the vehicles, according to authorities.

Hussein Ghzo, 42, of Palos Heights, was convicted Friday of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, authorities said, adding Ghzo's collaborators on the scheme included his brother, 38-year-old Laith Ghzo, and another man, Musab Sawai, 36.

The trio bought high-mileage cars at auctions, brought them to Chicago, had the odometer readings altered, falsified the title documents, submitted the false titles to the Illinois secretary of state, and resold the vehicles at other auctions, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Odometer fraud endangers the public and keeps older, less-safe vehicles on our nation’s roads,” Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois said in a news release. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that consumers are purchasing vehicles with valid odometer readings.”

Hussein Ghzo is set to be sentenced on Jan. 22 and faces up to five years in prison, according to the department, which noted Laith Ghzo and Sawai previously pleaded guilty in connection with the case and await sentencing.