Former owner of Swansea used car business held on bail in Fall River Superior Court on 125 charges

District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III has announced the arraignment of 46-year-old Edward Cicciu of Attleboro, Mass., in the Fall River Superior Court on Thursday. 

Cicciu was arraigned on 43 Counts of Larceny under $1200 by False Pretenses, 2 Counts of Larceny by Check over $1200, 37 Counts of Forging or Misusing an RMV Document, 38 Counts of Failing to Deliver Title upon a Motor Vehicle Transfer and 5 Counts of Larceny of a Motor Vehicle. The defendant was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail by the Court.

It is alleged that Edward Cicciu was the owner and operator of Bristol County Auto Exchange, Inc., a used car dealership in Swansea, MA.  Through investigation, it is alleged that he used financing companies to obtain loans to purchase vehicles at auctions and place them on his lot for sale.  Customers paid Cicciu for the vehicles.  He then indicated to customers that the title and registration would be provided in a few days.  Cicciu is alleged to have printed out false New Jersey temporary vehicle plates and registrations and provide them to customers.  He, upon receipt of payment, did not pay off the loans on the vehicles he sold, as he indicated he would and did not obtain titles.  When customers inquired about their titles, Cicciu eventually stopped responding.  He is also alleged to have provided customers with bad checks for refunds when they returned their vehicles due to mechanical or safety issues.  Some customers never received their vehicles after payment, and he took possession of other vehicles to sell for customers who never received payment, or their vehicles went missing from the lot.

The Commonwealth has identified 47 victims from ages 18 to 80 years of age with an approximate loss of $325,750.  Cicciu has a history of larceny offenses and was on probation at the time of these alleged offenses.

“The allegations of fraud involving numerous victims are extremely disturbing.  It is an aggravating factor that the defendant was on probation for similar conduct when this fraud is alleged to have occurred.  High cash bail set by the Court is appropriate based upon the allegations involving a number of victims and the defendant’s criminal history,” DA Quinn stated.