How a Connecticut DMV Employee Made Thousands by Selling Towed Cars

March 7, 2025 · Dave Altimari and Ginny Monk

URL: https://www.propublica.org/article/connecticut-dmv-employee-sells-towed-cars

“The DMV employee sold the Jeep to a used car dealer for $13,500. After passing through several more hands, another dealership ultimately sold it to a customer for $28,781.44.”

A tow company declared a stolen Jeep worth $1,000 and sold it for $1,400 to a firm owned by a DMV employee. He flipped it for $13,500. Connecticut lets towers sell after 15 days if they value a car under $1,500, which rewards lowballing. The owner did not know the car had been recovered.