A New Baltimore man faces serious charges after Michigan's Auto Fraud Task Force investigation. Dinas Kamaitis, 31, has been arraigned on multiple felony counts related to selling counterfeit car parts online, as reported by the Michigan Attorney General's office. Kamaitis' charges include one count of Using a Computer to Commit a Crime, four counts of Delivery/Possession of Property with Counterfeit Identifying Marks, and four counts of Selling Counterfeit Supplemental Restraint Systems, which could see him behind bars for up to seven, five, and four years for each count, respectively.
Officials allege that Kamaitis conducted his counterfeit operation through an eBay store, distributing fake restraint systems, including airbags. After the vehicles smack into unfortunate barriers with these counterfeit parts installed, it's estimated that over 80 percent of such airbags fail to deploy correctly, significantly increasing the risk of injury or death. In a statement by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, "Counterfeit parts are a serious public safety hazard on our roads," emphasizing the task force's commitment to the safety of Michigan's drivers.
Authorities seized more than $600,000 from Kamaitis' bank accounts, indicating the scope of the fraudulent activity could impact an estimated 81,000 vehicles statewide. This crackdown is part of a newly expanded initiative by the Department of Attorney General to address auto insurance fraud and broader criminal endeavors in the auto industry. The Attorney General's firm stance is to hold those accountable for compromising the security of Michigan citizens.
Kamaitis is set to appear before The Honorable John M. Chmura in the 37th District Court in Warren for his next court date, which will be on April 10 at 9:30 a.m. The efforts of the Auto Fraud Task Force, in partnership with the Michigan State Police Metro Detroit Auto-Theft Recovery Team, are lauded as having pursued high-level auto theft rings effectively.
