GHOST TAGS: Inside NYC’s Black Market for Temporary License Plates
On Monday, we published Part I of our seven-month investigation into the black market for temporary license plates, which involves a vast network of used car dealers who exploit limited oversight to fraudulently issue real temporary tags that many drivers use to commit crimes.
12:02 AM EDT on April 3, 2023
Jesse Coburn is a reporter at ProPublica after a stint as Streetsblog's investigative reporter, where his reporting received a Polk Award, a Sigma Award, and awards from the Silurians Press Club and the Overseas Press Club Foundation. Previously he was a reporter at Newsday and an editor at ARCH+.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
‘Big Brother’ At U.S. DOT: Bike Lanes Aren’t Just ‘DEI,’ They’re Also Unsafe
Taking a page from George Orwell, the government is now saying that bike lanes are unsafe and speed cameras are not proven to reduce crashes. In other words, freedom is slavery.
July 17, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Slow Down
Driving over the speed limit doesn't even save much time, according to a new study.
July 17, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: What San Francisco’s Muni Learned from COVID
SFMTA’s Julie Kirschbaum discusses the lessons her agency learned from COVID and Muni’s post-pandemic recovery.
July 16, 2026
Fifth Time’s The Harm: Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro Again Signed A Budget With No Money For Transit
New budget refuses a single cent for transit, cuts service for most vulnerable residents.
July 16, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Deadly By Design
Turns out, designing roads for fast-moving cars means people will die.
July 16, 2026
