A U.S. District Judge recently handed an Atlanta, Georgia man who orchestrated a large-scale rental car fraud scheme seven and a half years in prison. The judge also added a requirement: Return the value of the stolen vehicles. The appraisal landed around $1.17 million.

Tyrell Oliver carried out a complex operation, using illegally obtained credit card details and sometimes fake identities to secure high-end rental cars. He and his “associates” used forged driver’s licenses and counterfeit credit cards to get into expensive vehicles without any intention of returning them.

The scheme started in August 2021 when Oliver attempted to fraudulently acquire three rental cars. After the third attempt raised suspicion, rental employees flagged the activity. Oliver fled, but authorities caught and arrested him while he tried to fly back to Atlanta. After, instead of abandoning the operation, he grew it, enlisting others to target rental car locations at airports in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Court documents reveal that Oliver and his co-conspirators used the identities of at least 23 individuals to steal a total of 19 rental vehicles. In October, Oliver admitted guilt to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, multiple counts of wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Several associates also pleaded guilty, the Department of Justice shared.

James E. McGhaney, 36, of New York, who played a role in recruiting and supervising participants, has his sentencing this week. Steven B. Matthews, 40, of Atlanta, admitted guilt and was sentenced to 24 months. Other accomplices from New York received prison terms ranging from 13 months to over five years. Several must also repay upwards of hundreds of thousands each. The FBI conducted the investigation. More sentencings are expected in March.