FBI Raids Specialty Towing in San Francisco: What We Know So Far

On Thursday morning, the FBI raided Specialty Towing in San Francisco’s Hunters Point. The FBI confirmed they were conducting a “court-authorized law enforcement activity” at the business on Oakdale Avenue, near Interstate Highway 280.

Residents Annette Scott and her husband, who live nearby, were startled awake by loud noises that sounded like fireworks. They saw FBI agents in military gear with guns and loud noises from their vehicles.

CBS News Bay Area captured FBI and IRS agents at the scene, taking items and photos. Agents also searched a towing truck nearby. Neighbor Maria Vasquez saw the FBI detain someone and carry out a duffle bag.

The IRS confirmed their presence but did not provide details. San Francisco police said they assisted the FBI with the search warrant. The FBI also searched locations on Franklin Street and Lane Street in San Francisco as part of an ongoing federal investigation.

Specialty Towing has multiple locations in the Bay Area. The Oakdale location was previously investigated by City Attorney David Chiu for illegal towing practices. Chiu’s office found that Auto Towing had towed cars to Specialty Towing’s lot without permission, making it hard for owners to retrieve their vehicles. Many of these car owners were Spanish-speaking or Cantonese-speaking, making them more vulnerable to these practices.

Last month, the city banned Auto Towing from city contracts for five years due to “predatory behavior” and unfair practices. Auto Towing owners, Jose Vicente Badillo and Jessica Elizabeth Najarro, were arrested on Thursday and charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering related to an insurance fraud scheme. They were released on $50,000 bond and will appear in court on Monday.

Neighbors criticized the towing company for being a bad neighbor and causing complaints. Employees at Specialty Towing declined to comment on the raid.