Central Ohio car dealerships accused of withholding vehicle titles, altering odometers

Two central Ohio auto dealerships are facing civil lawsuits filed by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office, accusing them of altering odometer readings, failing to turn over titles to dozens of customers who purchased vehicles, and several other consumer protection violations.

The lawsuits — one filed in Franklin County and the other in Delaware County — accuse each dealership of violating Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act, the Certificate of Motor Vehicles Act, and the Odometer Rollback and Disclosure Act.

The suit filed in Delaware County Common Pleas Court accuses Johnathan Paul Kirkham, operator of Kirkham’s Starfleet Cars, 525 N Sandusky St. in Delaware city, of failing to properly transfer titles to consumers who bought vehicles from the dealership.

According to Yost, there are 32 title-related complaints in connection with Starfleet, and the state will use $138,135 from the state’s Title Defect Recission Fund to reimburse eligible consumers while the Attorney General’s Office pursues legal action against Kirkham’s.

Way 2 Go Auto Sales, 4660 Cleveland Ave. Columbus, operated by Kofi Bimpeh, is accused of failing to provide vehicle titles, altering odometer readings, and misrepresenting rebuilt salvage vehicles in a lawsuit filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. The Attorney General’s office reports they received 20 complaints related to title issues, misrepresentations about salvage vehicles, return policy issues and odometer discrepancies with vehicles.

Way 2 Go Auto Sales and Kirkham’s Starfleet Cars could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Listed phone numbers for both dealerships appeared to be disconnected.

“Ohioans work hard and deserve to get what they pay for,” Yost said in a prepared release. “Whether it’s a deliberate title delay or outright fraud, my office will pump the breaks on dealership scams.”

smeighan@dispatch.com

@ShahidMeighan

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio AG Dave Yost files lawsuits against central Ohio car dealerships