DORAL, Fla. (TND) — The clerk at an auto tag agency near Miami is facing three dozen felonies in what's being called a $3 million title fraud scheme.

Prosecutors say that scheme started unraveling when “a stolen vehicle pinging inside the bay of a local auto shop” got the attention of police in the suburb of Doral.

That was back on Jan. 12.

Detectives executed a search warrant and found three stolen luxury vehicles: a 2022 Lamborghini Urus, a 2023 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz G550, as well as two fraudulent VIN plates.

The garage owner was arrested for knowingly operating a chop shop.

Then, authorities looking into his involvement discovered a clerk at a private tag agency nearby, Katherine M. Vera Moran.

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According to the state attorney’s office, “Vera Moran was paid an extra $800-$1,000 for each fraudulent title transaction, accepting cash or Cash App payments before forging the titles and tax documents on stolen vehicles.“The investigation exposed Vera Moran's frequent manipulation of VINs associated with total loss vehicles, such as transferring a 2020 White Jeep Gladiator, deemed a total loss due to extensive fire damage, to a salvage rebuilt title appearing in perfect condition.”

They added, a total of “18 vehicles were recovered and/or positively identified with altered VINs, 12 of which were confirmed to be stolen.

“The approximate total value of stolen vehicles recovered and identified was $3,385,000, all of which was processed by Vera Moran.”

The suspect was arrested Monday evening and she’s charged with 18 counts of title fraud and 18 counts of official misconduct. All 36 charges are felonies.

Vera Moran remained in jail on Tuesday afternoon.

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