WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty for issuing dozens of fraudulent motor vehicle titles, according to the Department of Justice.
Steven Bazemore, a former employee of the Norfolk Commissioner of Revenue, pleaded guilty on May 26.
The Norfolk Commissioner of Revenue’s office is a contractor of the DMV that provides select services, including issuing titles.
Bazemore, 33, admitted that he created at least 76 Virginia motor vehicle titles with false, low mileage readings for a co-conspirator who was a licensed salvage dealer. He issued the titles requested by his co-conspirator even when the reading was inconsistent with a higher mileage reading on a prior title or in the DMV computer system. Bazemore’s co-conspirator used the fraudulent titles to sell cars for higher prices.
The co-conspirator gave Bazemore cash in exchange for issuing the fraudulent titles.
Bazemore returned the documents used to create the fraudulent titles to his co-conspirator rather than putting the documents in the DMV file system.
Bazemore faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison at his sentencing on August 31.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation says more than $1 billion is lost annually due to odometer fraud.
