Drugs, Money Laundering, Car Titles, and Bribes!

By Rachelle Bowden in News on Mar 30, 2005 3:48PM

By now we've all heard rumblings about the car dealerships who were busted by the FBI last week for laundering millions of dollars in drug money. Now yesterday a Secretary of State employee was arrested on a related mail fraud conspiracy charge.

Federal prosecutors say that Brenda Strong took bribes to process paperwork so that at least 3 of the dealerships who were accused could avoid paying taxes on vehicles sold on their lots. They say that since 2001, Strong would get money about every other week from the car dealers for reviewing, completing, altering and stamping their paperwork. She also faked car titles, authorities are saying.

Strong admitted taking the money for favors and said "I was doing it and I shouldn't have been." She is now on unpaid leave and if convicted she faces a maximum penalty of 5 years on prison and a $250,000 fine.

By the way, does it seem messed up that Strong worked for the state for 8 years, had a child to support at home, was promoted to a supervisor position in December, and still was only making like $30k?

Image via ABC7