Wyoming Troopers Investigate Alleged Fake License Plate Scheme
Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers recently arrested two men in separate incidents on suspicion of using fraudulent Indiana license plates and false vehicle titles, Cowboy State Daily reports.
Authorities allege the individuals collaborated to create counterfeit documents using a mobile printer while traveling through the state.
Georgii Khubezhov, 21, and Albek Bagov, 30, face felony charges of possessing false vehicle titles, punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Bagov also faces several misdemeanors, including operating a commercial vehicle without a valid commercial driver’s license.
The men were arrested within two days of each other—Khubezhov on December 27 in Laramie County and Bagov on December 29 in Carbon County. Court documents suggest their cases are connected.
Cheyenne Arrest
On December 27, Trooper Caleb Pushcar responded to the Interstate 25 port of entry in Laramie County after receiving a report of a driver presenting fraudulent vehicle registration. According to court documents, the license plate on the truck did not match its registration, which the Indiana Department of Revenue confirmed as counterfeit.
Khubezhov, the driver, was arrested, and officers reportedly found a mobile printer in the vehicle, suspected to have been used for creating fake documents.
Carbon County Arrest
Two days later, Trooper Saajan Biant stopped a “hotshot rig” towing a trailer with vehicles on Interstate 80 in Carbon County. The truck, driven by Bagov, had no license plates and carried an Indiana temporary registration deemed fraudulent by authorities.
The affidavit states Bagov’s vehicle had mechanical issues, including one flat tire and another with dangerously low air pressure. During the stop, investigators linked Bagov to the earlier case involving Khubezhov.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol is investigating whether the two men are part of a broader operation involving counterfeit license plates and vehicle titles. Authorities are also exploring their immigration statuses, with inquiries pending with Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE).
Court proceedings for Khubezhov began earlier this week, with a Russian interpreter assisting in his hearing. Bagov’s case is expected to proceed in the coming days.
Driving with fraudulent documentation and unsafe equipment poses significant risks, noted authorities.
“This is a serious matter that endangers everyone on the road,” said one law enforcement official.
