Monday, January 11, 2010

Milwaukee Police Investigate Alleged Legalización Mexicano Fraud Scheme

(L to R) Guillermo Marin speaks to Milwaukee Police Officers Jose Arzaga and Jesus Gloria concerning an alleged fraud scheme conducted by a vehicle import to Mexico legalizing business.

Police initiate a fraud investigation into Legalización Mexicano dealing in legalizing autos for import into Mexico

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 11, 2010

Milwaukee -Several victims in Wisconsin have come forward with vehicle legalized documents believed to be false. On Monday, they met with Milwaukee Police and filed an initial complaint. Officers Jose Arzaga and Jesus Gloria who are both bilingual took the initial complaint. Gloria said, "This is the first time our department has heard of the allegations raised by victims." The victims of the alleged Legalización Mexicano fraud scheme were able to provide police with the actual documents and license plates believed to be bogus. 
The victims and relatives say they got the documents from Legalización Mexicano at 1239 S. Cesar E. Drive in Milwaukee's South side.
In June, a 48-year-old man paid $1,500 in cash at Legalización Mexicano to get legalized documents to export a 1997 Chevrolet truck to Mexico. After six months, he received license plates from the State of Mexico and documents needed to permanently drive and keep the truck in Mexico.
Once the driver of the truck tried to cross the Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico border, he was stopped by Mexican Customs at check point number 13 just outside Nuevo Laredo. Officials ran a computer check on the plates and documents and they turned out false. The plates had been used twice previously by a trailer and a liquid tanker.
In this case, Mexican Customs allowed the family to return back to the U.S. with the truck. The family had to wait seven days and pay $1,600 to a Legalization Agency (Servicios Aduanales Loiaf) in Laredo, Texas to get legal documents to import the truck into Mexico. They ended up paying $1,500 in Milwaukee and $1,600 in Laredo totaling $3,100.
Another incident, a woman paid $1,890 to Legalización Mexicano in Milwaukee for documents legalizing her Jetta 1999 auto being transported to Encuandureo, Michoacan. She was able to make all the way to Encuandureo, but afterwards when they went shopping at a nearby mall it was discovered the license plates were false. An official from the Mexican Federal Investigative Agency (AFI) spotted the auto, he ran the plates and they were registered to someone else in Michoacan. The couple had to pay $1,200 U.S. dollars to get it out from being pounded and another $700 to prevent any judicial charges against her. The couple paid in total $3,790. 

Legalización Mexicano business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Last month, a multi-business in Illinois and Wisconsin operating a vehicle legalization known in the South side of Milwaukee as Legalización Mexicano de Autos (Auto Imports To Mexico Legalized) on Chavez Dr. was no longer accepting requests for auto legalized documents to temporarily travel or import vehicles to Mexico. Currently, three businesses are located in Chicago, one in Waukegan, and another in Milwaukee, which are affiliated to the parent company Mex-Tel Inc.
In December, Chicago local investigators cited an employee of Legalización Mexicano a total of $3,000 for not providing a business license to operate at 3121 W. 26th St., and was ordered to appear in court at a later date. The owner Agustin Acosta-Valdez, a Chicago resident could not be located by police, and is believed to be in Mexico, according to sources in Chicago.
The Legalización Mexicano de Autos in Milwaukee, and Waukegan, IL located at 913 Grand Ave. began to limit their operation to just delivering vehicle legalized documents to customers. In Chicago, the business located at 3121 W. 26th St., 2nd Floor was closed as a result of an investigation by Chicago police. The two other businesses in Chicago continued to operate, however an undated postcard flyer indicated Acosta-Valdez was operating 10 business locations.
The Acosta-Valdez company specializes in temporary legalized travel vehicle permits into Mexico from nine months to a year and with option to renew on a yearly basis, until year to permanently import vehicle arrives. Legalización Mexicano can provide legalization permits to vehicles already in Mexico and could use up to two different names if desired by the clients. The Legalización Mexicano website assures their practices in issuing permits is legal and has legalized at least 10,000 vehicles.
Customer complaints to Legalización Mexicano employees date back at least five months. The permit holders  alleged the import documents provided to them by Legalización Mexicano were fraudulent.

Related Internet article link of the alleged fraud scheme by Legalización Mexicano and Agustin Acosta-Valdez:
Chicago business chain "Legalización Mexicano de Autos" legalizing vehicles for export to Mexico investigated by police http://bit.ly/6BHwtt

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