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Former California patrol officers face bribery charges in illegal supercars case

The officers stand accused of falsifying records for a gray-market Ferrari and Koenigsegg, in exchange for US$35,000

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Two former California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers have been called to court for allegedly taking bribes from the owners of two gray-market cars in exchange for falsified registration. 

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The vehicles, a 2003 Ferrari Enzo and a 2014 Koenigsegg Agera, were not legally imported and registered in the U.S., therefore qualifying them as “gray market.” The term applies to any imported vehicle that hasn’t undergone the required government crash and emissions tests and is therefore not registered, making it illegal in some states and cases. 

Allegedly, the two former officers took US$35,000 in 2016 to alter the DMV and Carfax paperwork of the supercars to make them look as if they legally belonged on the California highways. They each face four charges of conspiracy, and three counts of accepting a bribe in connection with a scheme. 

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“CHP officers are charged with keeping our roads and the people of California safe and secure. Any law enforcement officer who abuses that authority for their own personal gain should be held accountable,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement. “Bribery is a serious crime, and there is no place for these alleged acts in California law enforcement.”

The 2003 Ferrari Enzo has been known to sell for US$3 million and up, while the ridiculously fast Koenigsegg Agera is priced around US$1.5 million.