Hartford man sentenced for auto loan fraud scheme

A man from Connecticut has been sentenced to two years in prison for an auto loan fraud scheme. Ronnie Bonner, 64, from Hartford, was found guilty of cheating several credit unions and banks. Bonner, who worked at a car dealership from September 2014 to February 2015, applied for 19 loans using his name and the names of friends. These loans were meant to buy vehicles, but most of the time, no cars were actually purchased. Instead, Bonner cashed or deposited the loan checks. He made some payments on the loans before stopping, receiving a total of $646,351.38 through his actions. U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill also ordered Bonner to pay back $395,124.40. He was arrested in November 2020 and pleaded guilty to financial fraud in 2023. Bonner, who is currently out on a $25,000 bond, must report to prison by May 7. The case was investigated by several agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service.