PHILADELPHIA, PA — Two men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to steal at least 46 vehicles from businesses in and around Pennsylvania, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf said.
Tariq Bennett, 31, of Philadelphia, and Syheed Goodman, 37, of Upper Darby, were each sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen S. Marston to 39 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Bennett was ordered to pay $502,070.13 in restitution and a $2,600 special assessment, while Goodman was ordered to pay $939,295.48 in restitution and a $2,700 special assessment.
Both defendants pleaded guilty last year to more than two dozen charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and transportation of a stolen vehicle.
According to court filings, the scheme operated from at least October 2021 through October 2023 and involved renting, test-driving or fraudulently purchasing vehicles from rental companies, dealerships and home improvement stores.
Authorities said the defendants failed to return rented or test-driven vehicles and did not make payments on vehicles obtained through fraudulent purchases.
Investigators said the men used fabricated driver’s licenses containing stolen or fictitious personal information to obtain the vehicles.
The vehicles and equipment, which included cars, tractors and backhoes, were then sold to third parties, with some transported across state lines to facilitate sales.
The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Organized Crime Task Force, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and multiple local police departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio prosecuted the case.
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