Illinois Man Convicted in Odometer Tampering Case

An Illinois man, Hussein Ghzo, 42, of Palos Heights, was convicted last Friday by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Ghzo, along with his brother Laith Ghzo, 38, and Musab Sawai, 36, conspired to alter the odometer readings on hundreds of used cars and sell them to unsuspecting consumers.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial, the defendants purchased high-mileage cars at auto auctions and brought them to Chicago. They then altered the odometer readings to show lower mileage, falsified title documents to reflect these false readings, and submitted the falsified titles to the Illinois Secretary of State. Subsequently, the cars were sold at other auctions with the false low mileage titles and false odometer readings.

The evidence at the trial revealed that Hussein Ghzo was warned on three separate occasions that the cars he was selling had rolled back mileage. Despite these warnings, he continued to participate in the scheme, including posing as other people to hide his true identity. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah of the Northern District of Illinois presided over the trial.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, emphasized the department’s commitment to prosecuting those who deceive consumers. He noted that the scheme deprived consumers of important information about vehicle safety and future repair costs.

Hussein Ghzo is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Ghzo’s brother, Laith Ghzo, and Musab Sawai have previously pleaded guilty in connection with this matter and are awaiting sentencing. Laith Ghzo will be sentenced on October 31, while Sawai’s sentencing date has not yet been set.