Man arrested for selling 23 semi truck trailers with fraudulent VINs in $287,000 scheme

A man was arrested and accused of selling nearly two dozen semi trailers with falsified vehicle identification numbers (VINs), according to Florida authorities.

On April 13, 2026, the Florida Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE) announced the arrest of Michael Sancillena of Tampa in connection with a “semi-trailer fraud case.”

The arrest came after OALE launched an investigation into multiple semi trailers that were suspected to have fraudulent VINs.

Officials say that one victim purchased twenty-three semi trailers from Sancillena and his companies Catam Truck, LLC, Tampa Trucks, LLC, and JCA Transport Services, Inc.

Investigators confirmed that all twenty-three trailers had falsified VINs.

OALE seized 18 of the 23 trailers.

The victim of the scheme suffered more than $287,000 in financial losses.

Sancillena faces a charge of felony grand theft and five counts of felony selling or possessing vehicles with altered numbers.