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I-Team: Man Accused Of Swindling Widow Jailed On Charges

DANVERS (CBS) - Dan Wright walks into court a free man but is led away in cuffs after standing before the judge.

He's the car salesman first exposed by the I-Team who allegedly pitched plenty of illegal sales and preyed on one customer who was recently widowed by stealing a top of the line Mercedes that her husband left her to help support their family.

Stacey Chicoine says, "I trusted him, he had a great way of making you think you could."

Essex County prosecutor Colleen Cashman told the judge that Wright told Chicoine he didn't have any money for her, he didn't have the car and he didn't have the title.  He allegedly forged her dead husband's signature on the car's title and sold the car.

WBZ-TV's Kathy Curran reports.

Stacey Chicoine came face to face with the man in court who's accused of the despicable act.

Her husband Joe's signature was forged on the title months after he died.

Wright is the President of the Sterling Motor group in Danvers.  Dan Wright agreed to pay Stacey $53,000 when the car sold, but months later he told her the car disappeared.

Prosecutors say Wright has swindled several others along the way.

According to court documents, Dan Wright told police he was having money problems and robbed Peter to pay Paul, in this case he was robbing Stacey Chicoine and her family.

"How can someone morally do this, walk around and think this if okay to forge a signature and go about life," Chicoine said.

The judge told Dan Wright his days as a car salesman are over.  It's a case of broken trust by a man who many asked to simply sell a car and do the right thing.

Bail was set at $5,000 cash.  Wright faces several charges including larceny over $250 and forging registry of motor vehicle documents.

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