A former Swansea used car dealer who swindled dozens of customers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars is headed to state prison. Edward Cicciu, 48, of Attleboro, was sentenced to four to six years behind bars, followed by five years of probation, and ordered to pay $340,380.76 in restitution to his victims.
Cicciu owned Bristol County Auto Exchange, a now-defunct dealership that once operated at 2388 GAR Highway in Swansea, according to Herald News. The outlet reports that the 125 counts against him represent 47 victims, most of them former customers of the shop, which opened in August 2020 and has since shut down for good.
As first reported by WJAR, Cicciu had appeared in Fall River District Court in October 2024 to face accusations that he defrauded customers of the dealership. He has since pleaded guilty, though accounts of the exact charges vary: Herald News reported he pleaded guilty to 125 counts, including 43 counts of larceny of more than $1,200 by false pretenses, 38 counts of failing to deliver titles upon vehicle transfer, 37 counts of forgery or misuse of motor vehicle documents, five counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, and two counts of larceny by check over $1,200. The Boston Globe, meanwhile, reported that Cicciu pleaded guilty to 120 criminal counts of larceny, forgery, and other financial and motor vehicle offenses.
Victims Spanned Six Decades in Age
According to the same Herald News report, Cicciu admitted to running a complex series of scams between 2022 and 2024, with most of the fraudulent activity concentrated between May and September 2024. The Commonwealth identified at least 47 victims ranging in age from 18 to 80, per Fall River Reporter.
The Fall River Reporter also noted that, according to the district attorney, Cicciu printed out false New Jersey temporary vehicle plates and registrations and handed them to customers — part of what prosecutors described as a scheme touching titles, payments, and vehicle documents. Earlier reporting from WPRI showed the scale of the case growing over time, with the number of alleged victims climbing from roughly 25 to 47 as more people came forward.
Discrepancies Remain in Charge Counts
Conflicting Descriptions of Larceny Counts The exact nature of the larceny charges has also shifted across coverage. A 2025 Herald News report on Cicciu's arraignment described 43 larceny counts as involving amounts under $1,200 by false pretenses, while this week's sentencing report from the same outlet described those same 43 counts as involving amounts of more than $1,200. The two descriptions place the same 43 counts on opposite sides of the $1,200 threshold.
Once Cicciu completes his prison term, his ability to work in the auto industry will remain sharply limited. Per Herald News, he will be allowed to repair motor vehicles after his release but will not be permitted to sell them — a restriction that effectively closes the door on any return to the kind of business that led to his downfall.
