RICO INDICTMENT FILED ON MAN FOR TAMPERING WITH GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND DOZENS OF THEFT OFFENSES AT AUTO AUCTIONS

Posted on 10/19/2016

Defendant: Ahmed Mohamed Salah

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said, “This man purchased dozens of cars using bad checks, while scamming auto auction businesses in both Franklin and Hamilton County in excess of $200,000.”  Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned a RICO indictment against Ahmed Mohamed Salah, age 50.  The seventy-two count indictment includes charges of Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Grand Theft, Tampering with Records, and Passing Bad Checks.  “Saleh had a business called El Basha, Inc., located at 657 East 5th Avenue in Columbus.  El Basha, Inc. also did business under the name of A S Auto Sales, located at the same address,” O’Brien stated.  Through El Basha and A S Auto Sales, Salah purchased cars at auto auctions, including Columbus Fair Auto Auction and Manheim Auto Auction.  “When Salah won the auctions, he tendered a bad check to the auction house and was given physical possession of the cars.  Before Salah’s checks were dishonored, Salah falsified records kept by the BMV in order to obtain duplicate titles for the motor vehicles reflecting the transfer to Salah,” O’Brien further stated.  O’Brien commended the Ohio Organized Crime Investigation Commission for their thorough and continued investigation of this case.