Charlotte Dealership Former President Faces Sentence for ID Theft

IMG_CAR_AUCTION_06.JPGOne of Charlotte’s classic dealership’s former president is to face sentencing next month in Cincinnati for identity theft and federal mail fraud charges, court documents show.

Joseph M. Carroll, 50, former RK Motors president, had been taking out over 20 loans and credit lines using someone else’s Social Security number during a span of over 22 years, according to prosecutors in last month’s court documents.

The scheme began when Carroll was trying to buy a used car and didn’t have good credit at the time years ago. Court documents show the salesman of the car entered the wrong Social Security number in the application for a car loan and it was approved. Carroll later continued applying for credit under the different SS number with his name, court documents show.

Carroll took out loans from many financial institutions from 1986 to 2009 using the other person’s Social Security number and lived a lavish life that included homes in Mount Pleasant, S.C. and Ohio, according to the sentencing memorandum from the government.

The government calculates the losses from Carroll’s scheme as around $1.1 million. Carroll’s attorney disagrees with the calculations but says Carroll has expressed intent to pay the amount determined by the court.

 

Government recommendation for Carroll is 41 months in prison. Carroll’s attorney has requested supervised release for five years.

Rob Kauffman, owner and chairman of RK Motors, said Carroll has taken a leave of absence and the company will announce its new president next week.

Carroll is from Ohio and moved to Charlotte when his company, then named Best of Show Automotive, and RK Motors merged in 2010, according to Kauffman. Carroll’s charges are not related to RK Motors, Kauffman said.

The government memorandum says Carroll has been active in a vehicle donation charity program called JumpStart Charlotte since his move.

Carroll is set to be sentenced June 12. His indictment was May 2013 and a plea agreement was reached in Feb 2014.

 

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