A 27-year-old clerk at a Miami auto tag agency, Katherine M. Vera Moran, has been arrested for her involvement in a high-end auto title fraud scheme that led to the theft of over $3.3 million worth of vehicles, according to authorities.
Vera Moran faces 18 counts of title fraud and official misconduct following an investigation that began in January after police tracked a stolen car to a local auto shop in Doral. During a search of the shop, police uncovered three stolen luxury vehicles: a 2022 Lamborghini Urus, a 2023 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz G550. They also found two fraudulent VIN plates.
The shop’s owner was arrested for operating a chop shop, and during questioning, officials learned about Vera Moran’s role at the Miami tag agency. According to investigators, Vera Moran was paid between $800 and $1,000 per fraudulent title transaction, accepting payments via Cash App or cash. She allegedly manipulated VINs from totaled vehicles and transferred them to stolen ones, allowing the stolen vehicles to be fraudulently registered.
Authorities said they recovered 18 vehicles with altered VINs, 12 of which were confirmed stolen. The total value of the stolen cars recovered and linked to the fraud was approximately $3.3 million.
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez explained, “Stolen cars were brought to the chop shop, where they were re-VINed and presented to Ms. Moran at the Miami tag agency. She would then create false paperwork, register the vehicles, and collect payment.”
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle condemned the fraud, stating, “Such crimes deceive the system and harm victims who lose property. This also impacts insurance companies, leading to higher premiums for the community.”
Vera Moran was booked into jail and appeared in court, where a judge set her bond at $50,000.