A Harrisburg used-car dealer is staring down a mountain of criminal charges after a state police fraud probe, according to court records and authorities. Khaled Yaye, 49, who runs Yeni Auto Sales on South Cameron Street, was arraigned Tuesday and is scheduled to return to court next month. Investigators say the case centers on how titles were handled and how cars were sold at the small South Cameron Street lot.
Court records show Yaye is facing 144 counts in all, a mix of felonies, misdemeanors and summary offenses, including forgery and alleged deceptive or fraudulent business practices. State police said the case also involves more than 130 violations of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, tied to how vehicle titles were reassigned and processed, and that some of the offenses fall under the Pennsylvania Board of Vehicles Act, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Where this fits with other investigations
Investigators say that schemes involving buried accident histories or doctored paperwork are not exactly rare in Pennsylvania. As the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General explained in a press release on a separate title-washing probe, earlier crackdowns uncovered falsified inspection records, misleading vehicle purchase prices and rented dealer plates. “This operation undermined the public’s trust in a system that’s meant to keep our roads safe,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said.
Charges and court schedule
Online court records confirm Yaye’s arraignment on Tuesday and show he is expected back in court next month. State police have not released further details about how the alleged scheme worked. The breakdown of the charges and the timing of the arraignment were reported by CBS Pittsburgh.
What buyers should do
Anyone who bought a vehicle from Yeni Auto Sales, or who has questions about a car’s title, is urged to hang on to every scrap of sale paperwork, run a VIN history check and reach out to local law enforcement and PennDOT if something looks off. The Attorney General’s office and state police have urged buyers to stay vigilant in the wake of similar investigations and offer consumer resources for people who think they were sold a misrepresented vehicle.
