(LEBANON, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Warren County Prosecutor David P. Fornshell today announced that a Cincinnati man has been sentenced to serve 19 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution for running an $816,000 scam that defrauded car dealerships and financial institutions in multiple Ohio counties and in Kentucky.
Jerry Agostini, Jr., 53, was sentenced today by Warren County Common Pleas Judge Michael Gilb. In January, a jury found Agostini guilty of 31 counts including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, grand theft of a motor vehicle, theft by deception, receiving stolen motor vehicles, attempted grand theft of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, identity theft, and forgery.
During a 13-month period between 2014 and 2015, Agostini defrauded businesses in Warren County, Cuyahoga County, Butler County, Hamilton County, and Kenton County (KY). He used aliases, fictitious names, a dummy corporation called Engineered Environmental, the identities of others, and false financial documents to secure trucks, equipment, and checks totaling $816,554.
Investigators recovered nine vehicles taken as part of the scheme. As part of his sentence, Agostini was ordered to pay the remaining $142,309.08 in restitution.
“This man was a true con artist,” Attorney General DeWine said. “His crimes were widespread and intentional. Had it not been for the hard work of law enforcement agencies he might still be running this scam. Instead, he’s going to prison.”
“I’m often amazed at how much effort these scam artists put into developing their criminal schemes, as opposed to using their talents to benefit society,” said Fornshell. “Fortunately, because of the leadership of Attorney General DeWine’s office, and the cooperation between numerous other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, Agostini will have lots of time in prison to think about that.”
The case was prosecuted jointly by the Ohio Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Unit and Warren County Prosecutor’s Office.
The case was investigated by the Ohio Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Unit along with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, Union Township Police Department, Colerain Township Police Department, Miami Dade Police Department (FL), and the Valley View Police Department. The Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office, and Clermont County Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.
Attorney General DeWine created the Economic Crimes Unit shortly after taking office in 2011. The unit, a division of the office’s Consumer Protection Section, works with prosecutors and local law enforcement to coordinate the investigation and prosecution of economic crimes.
Potential scams can be reported to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-282-0515.
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