A flipper/scammer gets busted

Well I learned something new. I had no idea that was illegal. I thought as long as the vin matched the title it didnt matter. As a matter of fact I know a guy that did that. He had a 69 mustang that was very solid but didnt have a title. He bought a completely rusty basket case 69 mustang out of a junkyard that had a title and he used the vin plate and I think (dont quote me on this it's been a while) the radiator support out of the junkyard car and he had a title that matched that vin. Granted he didnt do it to flip it and sell. I'm pretty sure he still has the car. But I never knew that was illegal.
That guy changed his story so many times lol.
Isn't that what bikers do? Buy old frames with titles and build to that frame? I thought the new mustang body you can buy was like that as long as you have one , you can transfer the vin to the new shell and destroy the old one. Seems harmless?