On Wednesday the 6th of October, 22 law enforcement agents and other individuals from the State of California, Department of Justice Fraud Division, Department of Motor Vehicles, California Highway Patrol, Department of Automotive Repair and others arrived with guns drawn and flak vests strapped on at the shop of Boyd Coddington Hot Rods & Collectibles (La Habra, CA).
No, this wasn't the making of another episode of "American Hotrod" but rather a bona fide attempt to serve a warrant, and carried out by duly vested officers for the purpose of investigating Boyd Coddington on the suspicion of fraud. The alleged fraud charges stem from an ongoing investigation by the State of California that has, for the past several years, been limited to the kit car industry but has now been expanded to the street rod industry.
The State of California is looking for cars that meet one or more of the following criteria that would lead to registration or license fee fraud. Street Rodder editor Brian Brennan learned via e-mail communications with Robert Morgester, the Deputy Attorney General Special Crimes Unit for the State of California Department of Justice, that "The California Attorney General's Office has been conducting an investigation into the fraudulent registration of replica vehicles. The initial investigation was limited to Cobra replica vehicles due to known VIN (Vehicle Identification Numbers) sequences. We are aware that the same fraudulent vehicle registration issues apply to other replica vehicles and hot rods.
"To correct a common misunderstanding of California law, it is a felony to do the following: (1) Register a vehicle where the year of vehicle is misrepresented; (2) Register a vehicle where the value of the vehicle is understated, or (3) Register a vehicle where the year of the vehicle is misrepresented to avoid compliance with California smog laws.
Any of the above actions are a felony in violation of the California Vehicle Code Section 4463(a). Additionally, the above actions constitute the crime of perjury, in that all statement of facts contained in California DMV documents are taken under penalty of perjury."
In speaking with Boyd Coddington, he said the State of California seized certain company records for further investigation and that three license plates were removed from vehicles within his consignment shop-vehicles built decades ago by other builders. Apparently the State of California is looking into any improprieties that would lead to the state being "shorted" its tax or registration dollars.
Boyd also told said he had to show records proving high-profile vehicles such as the Whatthehey and the Alumatub were legally registered and taxed, which they were. He also had to show records on two of his Boydster's that were built and given away as to how they were registered and how were the vehicle's values determined, as well as if the new owners paid the appropriate taxes. At the time of this writing it appears Boyd's business has done everything according to the law but that the investigations will not stop with just his shop.
Boyd was singled out because of his "visibility" on the "American Hotrod" television show and that other California builders would soon be paid a visit. Additionally, Brennan learned that law enforcement persons, possibly California Highway Patrol officials, recently visited the Labor Day Cruise, an annual car show in Costa Mesa, California, looking for "suspicious" vehicles. When asked what constituted a "suspicious vehicle" it was determined that any fiberglass car was suspect.