In a significant crackdown on fraudulent automobile registration schemes, a Dallas man, initially from Houston, has been sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Daniel Rocky Christine-Tani, 35, was involved in generating and selling fake Texas temporary buyer tags through sham car dealerships.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice release, U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. laid down the law for Christine-Tani, handing him a 93-month prison sentence followed by three years of supervised release, during this Christine-Tani has also been ordered to pay restitution totaling more than $3.4 million to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani explained that the case has triggered legal changes in Texas, expected to eliminate such paper vehicle tags by next year, "Christine-Tani’s behavior was part of an epidemic of fake Texas paper tags that threatened the safety of Texans and citizens throughout the United States."
Special Agent Douglas Williams from the FBI underscored the gravity of this fraud, as these counterfeit tags allowed criminals to stay under the radar while committing serious offenses, “This paper tag scheme enabled criminals to use fake Texas buyer tags while perpetrating violent crimes like drive-by shootings and armed robberies. FBI Houston agents proudly worked alongside law enforcement partners across the nation to dismantle this conspiracy which endangered so many American lives.” The investigation into the scheme was a collective effort bringing together multiple law enforcement agencies including the Travis County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department, and the New York City Police Department among others, as per U.S. Department of Justice.
Utilizing social media and electronic payment services like Cash App and Zelle, Christine-Tani acknowledged his role in this expansive scam, admitting that he and his accomplices used platforms such as Google Mail, Instagram, and Facebook to traffic these illicit tags across the United States which then let them share proceeds of this criminal enterprise through electronic means.
Post-sentencing, Christine-Tani was taken into custody, while a manhunt continues for fugitive Emmanuel Padilla Reyes, with the FBI offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest; tips can be sent to 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitted online via TIPS.FBI.GOV.
