Man Caught Rolling Back Odometers In CBS2 Investigation Pleads Guilty
WOODLAND HILLS (CBSLA.com) — A San Fernando Valley resident caught rolling back odometers in a CBS2 investigative report pleaded guilty Wednesday.
Shamai Salpeter, 67, walked into federal court and admitted to the scam, according to investigative reporter David Goldstein.
Viewers may remember when Salpeter was caught with undercover cameras offering to roll back the odometer on a truck in a 2012 investigation.
"How much can you roll it back?" a CBS2 producer said.
"Any amount that you need," Salpeter replied.
Back then, Salpeter went by another name. The CBS2 team saw him work on dozens of cars.
"I'm not rolling back. I'm fixing," he said.
"Are you ripping people off by rolling back the odometers?" Goldstein said.
The Woodland Hills resident was arrested and now has agreed to plead guilty, hoping for a lesser prison sentence.
Salpeter admitted that he altered the odometers of more than 250 vehicles.
Of the people who've come forward after buying these used vehicles, they've collectively lost an approximate $612,000 to the scam.
When Goldstein spoke with him two years ago, Salpeter was friendly. That wasn't the case Wednesday when he sneaked out of the courthouse, leaving his wife behind.
Salpeter was facing up to eight years in prison, but if the judge accepts his plea agreement, he'll serve a little less than half or 46 months.
Sentencing was set for Feb. 9.
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