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34 Defendants Plead Guilty in $5.5 Million Vehicle Fraud and Title-Washing Scheme
By Samantha Vogel | Long Island Daily News
September 15, 2026
SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Thirty-four defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in an extensive vehicle fraud and title-washing operation that prosecutors say involved more than 120 vehicles and generated approximately $5.5 million.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office announced the developments Monday following a years-long investigation known as Operation “Gingerbread Man.”
The investigation focused on a network accused of obtaining vehicles from dealerships through fraudulent financing and then manipulating vehicle titles so the cars could be resold without buyers knowing about existing liens.
A total of 35 defendants — 33 individuals and two corporations — were indicted in June 2025 following an investigation that lasted nearly two and a half years.
Prosecutors identified half-brothers Mark McCall, 34, of Centereach, and Keith Agard, 32, of Port Jefferson Station, as leaders of the operation.
According to prosecutors and admissions made during guilty pleas, the scheme operated between March 2022 and May 2025.
How Prosecutors Say the Scheme Worked
More than 20 people were recruited to obtain vehicles from dealerships using fraudulent documents, including falsified pay stubs and utility bills, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Many of the vehicles were financed with little or no money down.
Once a vehicle was obtained, prosecutors said it would be turned over to higher-level participants in the operation while few, if any, payments were made toward the financing.
The group then found ways to obtain what appeared to be clean New York titles without the liens attached to the vehicles.
Once the title issues were concealed, the vehicles could be sold again.
Prosecutors said cars were resold through several methods, including online automobile dealers and private sales.
Some unsuspecting customers allegedly purchased vehicles without knowing that financing companies still held liens against them or that the titles they received were fraudulent.
The operation reached well beyond Suffolk County. Vehicles were obtained from dealerships in Suffolk, Nassau, Kings, Westchester and Orange counties, according to prosecutors.
In all, authorities say the network bought and resold more than 120 vehicles and generated approximately $5.5 million.
Guilty Pleas and Prison Sentences
McCall pleaded guilty on Sept. 10 to attempted enterprise corruption and two attempted criminal possession of a weapon charges.
He is scheduled to return to court Oct. 29 and is expected to receive a five-year prison sentence followed by five years of post-release supervision on the weapons charges, along with a sentence of three-and-a-half to seven years on the enterprise corruption charge. The sentences are expected to run concurrently.
Agard previously pleaded guilty to enterprise corruption and two weapons-possession charges. He was sentenced in June to one to three years in prison.
Another 32 defendants have also pleaded guilty in connection with the operation. According to prosecutors, most received sentences ranging from approximately six months to three years.
One case remains pending.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said the case demonstrates how organized financial crimes can harm both businesses and consumers.
For consumers, the case also illustrates the importance of carefully verifying a used vehicle’s ownership and title history before completing a private purchase. A title that appears legitimate does not necessarily tell the entire story if underlying records have been manipulated.
The guilty pleas bring authorities closer to closing a sprawling investigation that touched dealerships, financial institutions and vehicle buyers across multiple New York counties.
Long Island Daily News will continue following major crime, court and consumer-protection cases affecting Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Samantha Vogel
Editor, Long Island Daily News
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