A Hartford man has been sentenced to two years in prison for defrauding credit unions and banks through an auto loan scheme. Ronnie Bonner, 64, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport. The sentence includes three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, Bonner engaged in fraudulent activities between September 2014 and February 2015 while working as a sales associate at an automobile dealership in Simsbury. He applied for loans using his name and those of acquaintances to purchase vehicles identified by specific Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs). In most cases, no vehicle was actually purchased. Bonner deposited or cashed the loan checks and made a few payments before defaulting on them. Through this scheme, he obtained $646,351.38 in loan proceeds.
Judge Underhill has ordered Bonner to pay restitution amounting to $395,124.40.
Bonner was arrested on November 5, 2020, and pleaded guilty to financial institution fraud on April 27, 2023. Currently released on a $25,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on May 7.
The investigation into this matter was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, the Hartford Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen prosecuted the case.
