A routine car trade-in by Laura Halen in New Jersey quickly became a legal nightmare after the dealership failed to transfer the car title, leaving the vehicle legally in Halen’s name and resulting in numerous violations and an arrest warrant for her.
It all started on May 20, 2024, when Halen went to Fette Kia in Clifton, New Jersey, to finalize the trade-in of her Jeep Wrangler. She entered into a lease agreement for a new car, and the dealership, through salesperson Argenis R. Checo, took immediate physical possession of the Wrangler. Halen believed Checo would promptly finalize the necessary paperwork and return the used vehicle to the prior leasing company, thus completing the process, per NJ.com.
