HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General announced that the alleged ringleader of a multi-state luxury vehicle title-washing operation has been captured in Mexico following a three-month fugitive search.
Authorities said 44-year-old Anthony E. Troncoso was arrested in Mexico City in connection with an alleged criminal enterprise that profited more than $1 million by selling stolen high-end vehicles from Florida. Troncoso was extradited to Pennsylvania, arraigned in Dauphin County, and held on $1 million cash bail.
Also arrested in Mexico was 40-year-old Pablo Correa, a charged co-conspirator in the case, who was likewise arraigned in Dauphin County and held on $500,000 cash bail. Both men are scheduled for preliminary hearings on November 18.
According to Attorney General Dave Sunday, the investigation began after the 52nd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury filed charges in August against Troncoso and 12 others. Prosecutors allege the group stole more than two dozen luxury vehicles, fabricated ownership and insurance documents, and “washed” the titles through fraudulent transactions at licensed tag agencies, notaries, and PennDOT offices in Berks, Dauphin, and Lehigh counties. The vehicles — including Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover, Audi, Lexus, and Infiniti models — were then sold to private buyers, dealerships, and at auction between 2022 and 2023.
Troncoso faces nine felony and six misdemeanor charges, including corrupt organizations, washing vehicle titles, and theft by deception. Other alleged members of the operation, including relatives and associates, face related charges.
Attorney General Sunday commended the collaboration of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Pennsylvania State Police, county detectives in Berks and Lehigh, the New York City Police Department, and the Miami-Dade Auto Theft Unit.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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