Former Waterbury Man Pleads Guilty To Fraud, ID Theft: Feds

WATERBURY, CT — A man with ties to Waterbury has pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft in connection to a case involving the sale of numerous used vehicles with altered odometers, according to a statement from federal prosecutors. Wilfred Albanese, 49, is accused of selling 48 vehicles with altered odometers to unsuspecting purchasers between August 2014 and October 2015 while he was residing in Missouri.

Albanese was located and arrested in New London July 18, 2019.

As part of the scheme, Albanese purchased high-mileage used vehicles and then used a variety of means to alter or reduce the mileage shown on the vehicles’ odometers, according to the statement.

He also concealed mechanical issues with those vehicles by removing “check engine” lights from the instrument panels, providing buyers with phony maintenance receipts and vehicle history reports, and concealing rust and other damage to the vehicle through paint or other means.

Albanese obtained Certificates of Title for the used vehicles they purchased. Under the assumed identities of the persons listed on those Certificates of Title, he advertised and sold the vehicles to customers on Craigslist.org. Most of the victim purchasers resided in Missouri.

Albanese, who has been detained since his arrest, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least two years.

He will be sentenced in October.