United States Attorney David Metcalf announced on Apr. 28 that two men from the Philadelphia area have been sentenced to more than three years in prison for their roles in a scheme to steal dozens of vehicles from rental companies, dealerships, and other businesses.
The case is significant due to the scale of the thefts and the use of fraudulent identities. Authorities said the defendants targeted various businesses, including home improvement stores, by test-driving, renting, or fraudulently purchasing vehicles and then failing to return them or make payments.
Tariq Bennett, 31, of Philadelphia was sentenced to 39 months in prison, three years’ supervised release, ordered to pay $502,070.13 in restitution and a special assessment of $2,600. Syheed Goodman, 37, of Upper Darby received an identical prison term and supervised release period but was ordered to pay $939,295.48 in restitution with a special assessment of $2,700.
According to court filings and statements presented during sentencing before United States District Judge Karen S. Marston, Bennett and Goodman—along with a third co-conspirator—carried out their scheme between October 2021 and October 2023. The group used fabricated driver’s licenses containing either stolen personal information purchased online or fictitious details when obtaining vehicles. After acquiring cars as well as equipment like tractors and backhoes through these means across Pennsylvania-area businesses—including crossing state lines—they sold them on to others.
The defendants pleaded guilty last year after being charged by superseding indictment in June 2024 with over two dozen counts each—including conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and transportation of stolen vehicles.
Metcalf said law enforcement agencies including the FBI Philadelphia Organized Crime Task Force; Customs and Border Protection; Homeland Security Investigations; Abington Police Department; Bensalem Township Police Department; Plymouth Township Police Department; Springfield Township Police Department investigated this case which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.
