May 14, 2009
Media Contact: Sandi Copes
Phone: (850) 245-0150
Attorney General Reaches Agreement Over Martin County Car Dealership
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has reached a settlement with the former owners of a Martin County car dealership. John Jochem Chevrolet, Inc., located in Stuart, allegedly sold hurricane-damaged vehicles as new without informing purchasers the vehicles had been damaged and repaired after hurricanes impacted Martin County in 2004 and 2005. The settlement provides for consumer restitution of $46,000 to approximately 48 known customers who purchased the damaged vehicles.
The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division began investigating the company’s practices in March 2006 after receiving a consumer complaint. According to the complaint, the consumer had purchased what he believed to be a new car from John Jochem, only to discover that the car was actually damaged during Hurricane Wilma and then repaired without disclosure.
The dealership has been sold since the investigation began, and the former principal owner of the dealership has since passed away. The remaining former owners cooperated with the Attorney General’s Office and signed the agreement. The new owners are not under investigation for the questionable practices. In addition to the consumer restitution, the dealership’s former owners have agreed to pay $70,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs.