In Nanhai District of Foshan City, a rare case nationwide was uncovered involving the use of deceased individuals' identities to register vehicles under so-called "space accounts".
Reported by Zhong Cheng of the Yangcheng Evening News and correspondent Lie Zhan: On February 14, 2012, three suspects who profited from transferring vehicle ownership under the names of deceased individuals and selling related documents were approved for arrest by the Nanhai District Procuratorate of Foshan on charges of suspected trading of state organ certificates.
Preliminary investigation revealed that in October 2010, suspect Li Mouzhu conspired with suspect Li Moya. Li Moya provided her deceased brother Li Mou's ID, while Li Mouzhu solicited business at the second-hand car market in Nanhai District, registering cars under the name of Li Mou (commonly known as "space account") and handing over the changed driving license and vehicle registration documents to the owners for use, making a profit of 1500 to 2500 yuan per car. In March 2011, Li Mouzhu conspired with suspect Zhang Mou niu, using Zhang's deceased father Zhang Mou's ID to profit through the same method. From March 2011 to January 2012, Li Mouzhu registered a total of 242 cars under the names of Li Mou and Zhang Mou.
A "space account" refers to transferring vehicle ownership to deceased, missing persons or others incapable of assuming legal responsibility, thereby evading relevant taxes and fees as well as associated legal liabilities. Users may violate regulations recklessly or flee after accidents, some with over a hundred violation records, severely disrupting the national management order of motor vehicles and leaving significant traffic safety hazards.
On the morning of January 11 this year, a staff member of the Vehicle Management Office of the Nanhai District Traffic Police Brigade in Foshan discovered an anomaly during the verification of car transfer personnel: a car owner named Li Moujin had 229 cars registered under his name. Upon detailed examination, it was found that Li Moujin had already passed away in February 2010, and all these cars were transferred to his name posthumously!
After police investigation, it was found that all 229 car transfer procedures were handled by a person named Li Mouzhu, thus uncovering a bizarre major case...
Dead people's identities can be put to "great use"
In second-hand car markets such as Xiqiao and Hai Ba Road in Gui Cheng of Nanhai District, there is a man called "Fat Man" who is quite famous. "Fat Man", whose real name is Li Mouzhu, hails from Xiqiao in Nanhai. He frequently solicits business in these markets, helping people handle second-hand car transfers and other businesses. On his business card are printed the words: "Handle Space Accounts". If a car owner is reluctant to scrap their car or does not want to pay vehicle and vessel tax and other fees, "Fat Man" can help them solve the problem. The biggest "secret" lies in a deceased person's ID card.
In February 2010, Li Moujin, the younger brother of Xiqiao resident Li Moye, passed away. One day in March, "Fat Man" approached her, asking if her brother's ID had been canceled. Upon learning that it hadn't, "Fat Man" revealed the true purpose of his visit: "I want to transfer vehicles due for scrapping to your brother's name."
Li Moye immediately opposed the idea, fearing trouble if anything went wrong. "He's dead, how can he be held accountable?" "Fat Man" consoled her. "Fat Man" promised her 200-400 yuan for each car transfer. Li Moye, who had no job and a daughter still in school, was tempted and agreed. Subsequently, "Fat Man" often borrowed her younger brother's ID, and the promised remuneration was never delayed.