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Keeping your edge inside of a competitive market

Online resources 1025 Old Country Road Westbury Long Island management company that subleased cars from cash-strapped owners was arrested yesterday for pocketing the lease money, Nassau County officials said.

George Fallica, internet websites Automotive Management Co., which did business as G.C.F. Leasing, was charged with fraud, grand larceny, forgery along with other crimes, Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon said.

"Our investigation stated that the defendant was interested in unique variations of criminal activities . . . which generated approximately 75 complaints to my office," Dillon said.

The corporation, at 1025 Old Country Road, got newspaper ads saying it'd help those that had leased cars but were unable or unwilling to make additional payments.

This company promised it would find customers to take control of the lease agreements, retain the payments current and change the car's license, registration and insurance records to reveal that some other driver was now leasing the car.

Fallica did sublease the cars, Dillon said, but he failed to keep his other p romises.

For example, he was quoted saying, one Long Island resident given back his 1991 BMW to Fallica in September 1995. Your car was subleased to someone that made $7,470 in payments to Fallica. But Fallica only gave $990 to the holder on the car's original lease, and kept the rest, Dillon said.

Fallica later repossessed the vehicle and subleased it again. This period he received $6,570 in payments, and turned none of the money over to the holder of the car's original lease, Dillon said.

Fallica put copies of a Pennsylvania license plate for the cars he sublet, Dillon said.

Young drivers. produced phony temporary licenses and fraudulently obtained insurance cards for any vehicles, Dillon said.

Fallica, 48, of Oneck Lane, Westhampton Beach, was charged with eight counts of grand larceny; three counts of forgery; three counts of falsifying business records; fraudulent production of license plates, and scheming to defraud.

He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.