For many automobile lovers, enjoying the later years of life driving a timeless Italian convertible like a Fiat Spider sounds like the ideal retirement dream. However, as per the New York State Police, two elderly brothers, aged 81 and 83, allegedly saw the vintage sports car as a means to execute an insurance fraud rather than as a vehicle for leisurely weekend rides.

On June 24, 2026, 81-year-old Salvatore J. Amato from Somers, New York, reportedly contacted the state police to claim that his 1981 Fiat Spider had been stolen earlier that morning from the parking lot of an ACME Markets store. Authorities began an investigation, reviewing footage from license plate readers and surveillance cameras installed in the shopping plaza where the ACME outlet was located.

According to the police, the alleged plan quickly fell apart. The investigation revealed that the classic Fiat Spider never actually entered the ACME Markets parking area where Salvatore Amato claimed it had been taken. When presented with the evidence, investigators stated that Amato confessed to fabricating the theft report in an effort to obtain insurance compensation. Officials further alleged that he had arranged for the Fiat Spider to be parked in the Bronx, while his 83-year-old brother, Frank Amato, drove him back to Somers so he could falsely report the car as stolen from there.

Both brothers now face several criminal charges. The duo has been charged with first-degree falsifying business records, making a false written statement, third-degree false reporting of an incident, and fifth-degree conspiracy. Additionally, Salvatore Amato faces an extra charge of third-degree insurance fraud. Police confirmed that both men were processed and subsequently released on their own recognizance.