Attorney General Alan Wilson announces State Grand Jury indictments for nearly $1.4 million in auto loan fraud scams

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today in the “VINsanity” investigation that the South Carolina State Grand Jury returned 125 counts in seven separate indictments alleging Keiron Murray committed nearly $1.4 million in auto loan scams. Generally, the indictments allege that Murray used various small dealerships to obtain fraudulent loans from banks for vehicles that were never in the dealerships' or the supposed purchaser's possession. Murray would then allegedly steal the loan proceeds. 

“Millions of dollars of fraudulent auto loans are a cost that is ultimately borne by consumers throughout South Carolina,” Attorney General Alan Wilson said. “While accountability for these crimes fundamentally rests on the fraudsters committing them, banking institutions can do a better job of detecting fraud through the loan application process, particularly online. Moreover, more can be done to identify and shut down the various small auto sales dealerships that are used all too often as a mechanism for facilitating millions of dollars of auto loan fraud,” he added.

“If someone breaks into your house, that’s entirely on them, but people, of course, need to make sure their front door is locked,” said State Grand Jury chief attorney Creighton Waters. “Institutions should be more aware that scammers will use small dealerships and VIN information on cars that were never in their possession -- much less in South Carolina -- to get fraudulent loans,” he added. 

The State Grand Jury issued indictments against Keiron Murray for the following offenses:

     2026-GS-47-02 (Superseding) -Richland County

Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, Value $10,000 or More

• 16-13-240: 0-10 years (15 Counts)

Crime Against a Federally Chartered or Insured Financial Institution

• 34-3-110: 0-5 years and/or fine up to $10,000 (14 Counts)

Computer Crime Valued More than $10,000

• 16-16-20; 16-1-57: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 (15 Counts)

Criminal Conspiracy

• 16-17-410: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $5,000

Money Laundering, Value $100,000 or More

• 35-11-740: Up to 20 years and/or fine up to $250,000, or twice the value of the financial transaction, whichever is greater.

     2026-GS-47-20 – Richland County

Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, Value $10,000 or More

• 16-13-240: 0-10 years (3 Counts)

Crime Against a Federally Chartered or Insured Financial Institution

• 34-3-110: 0-5 years and/or fine up to $10,000 (2 Counts)

Computer Crime Valued More than $10,000

• 16-16-20; 16-1-57: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 (3 Counts)

Criminal Conspiracy

• 16-17-410: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $5,000

Money Laundering, Value $100,000 or More

• 35-11-740: Up to 20 years and/or fine up to $250,000, or twice the value of the financial transaction, whichever is greater.

    2026-GS-47-21 – Richland County

Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, Value $10,000 or More

• 16-13-240: 0-10 years (1 Counts)

Crime Against a Federally Chartered or Insured Financial Institution

• 34-3-110: 0-5 years and/or fine up to $10,000 (1 Counts)

Computer Crime Valued More than $10,000

• 16-16-20; 16-1-57: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 (15 Counts)

Money Laundering, Value $20,00 - $100,000

• 35-11-740: Up to 10 years and/or fine of up to $250,000 or twice the value of the transactions, whichever is greater.

    2026-GS-47-22 – Richland County

Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, Value $10,000 or More

• 16-13-240: 0-10 years (5 Counts)

Crime Against a Federally Chartered or Insured Financial Institution

• 34-3-110: 0-5 years and/or fine up to $10,000 (3 Counts)

Computer Crime Valued More than $10,000

• 16-16-20; 16-1-57: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 (5 Counts)

Criminal Conspiracy

• 16-17-410: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $5,000

Money Laundering, Value $100,000 or More

• 35-11-740: Up to 20 years and/or fine up to $250,000, or twice the value of the financial transaction, whichever is greater.

    2026-GS-47-23 – Sumter County

Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, Value $10,000 or More

• 16-13-240: 0-10 years (2 Counts)

Crime Against a Federally Chartered or Insured Financial Institution

• 34-3-110: 0-5 years and/or fine up to $10,000

Computer Crime Valued More than $10,000

• 16-16-20; 16-1-57: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 (2 Counts)

Money Laundering, Value $20,000 - $100,000

• 35-11-740: Up to 10 years and/or fine of up to $250,000 or twice the value of the transactions, whichever is greater.

    2026-GS-47-24 – Sumter County

Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, Value $10,000 or More

• 16-13-240: 0-10 years (15 Counts)

Crime Against a Federally Chartered or Insured Financial Institution

• 34-3-110: 0-5 years and/or fine up to $10,000 (14 Counts)

Computer Crime Valued More than $10,000

• 16-16-20; 16-1-57: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 (15 Counts)

Criminal Conspiracy

• 16-17-410: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $5,000

Money Laundering, Value $100,000 or More

• 35-11-740: Up to 20 years and/or fine up to $250,000, or twice the value of the financial transaction, whichever is greater.

    2026-GS-47-19 – Colleton County

Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, Value $10,000 or More

• 16-13-240: 0-10 years (14 Counts)

Crime Against a Federally Chartered or Insured Financial Institution

• 34-3-110: 0-5 years and/or fine up to $10,000 (14 Counts)

Computer Crime Valued More than $10,000

• 16-16-20; 16-1-57: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $50,000 (15 Counts)

Criminal Conspiracy

• 16-17-410: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $5,000

Money Laundering, Value $100,000 or More

• 35-11-740: Up to 20 years and/or fine up to $250,000, or twice the value of the financial transaction, whichever is greater.

The State Grand Jury also charged Tamika Coleman with the following offense:

   2026-GS-47-19 – Colleton County

Criminal Conspiracy

• 16-17-410: 0-5 years and/or a fine up to $5,000

Coleman had previously been indicted for 56 counts of similar offenses in a different State Grand Jury investigation that had begun with the investigation, indictment, and conviction of former lawyer Alex Murdaugh and co-conspirators for various financial crimes. (2025-GS-47-12 – 10 Counts, 2024-GS-47-25 – 5 counts, 2024-GS-47-26 – 5 Counts, 2023-GS-47-39 – 6 Counts, 2023-GS-47-40 – 6 Counts, 2023-GS-47-18 – 6 Counts, 2023-GS-47-19 – 6 Counts, 2023-GS-47-20 – 6 Counts, 2023-GS-47-21 – 6 Counts).

The case is being investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which functions in partnership with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the South Carolina Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Section. The cases will be prosecuted by the chief attorney of the State Grand Jury Section, Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General S. Creighton Waters, Senior Assistant Attorney General Jason Anders, and Assistant Attorney General Walt Whitmire. 

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.