Pa. Dealer Faces Fraud Charges
The Pennsylvania owner of Auto Exchange USA is being charged with fraud, theft and impersonating a Notary. Authorities said he pocketed down payments and didn’t pay off existing loans for customers after agreeing to do so.
LANCASTER, Pa. — Joshua Berney, the owner of Auto Exchange USA, is being charged by state police with fraud, theft and impersonating a Notary, and misuse of dealer plates, according to Fox 43 Central Pennsylvania.
Investigators said Berney sold cars to customers without paying off existing loans or notifying the dealership’s floorplanner, and pocketed the cash down payment and finance checks, the news outlet reported.
Berney is also accused of illegally issuing dealer registration plates to customers, as well as Department of Transportation documents that are only permitted to be completed by authorized agents. He allegedly charged illegal fees which were more than what the state would charge to transfer the title of the vehicle and/or register the vehicle.
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