Ohio attorney general sues defunct Kenmore auto dealer accused of deceiving car buyers

A defunct Akron used car dealership is at the center of a lawsuit filed by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost accusing the business of failing to provide vehicle titles to dozens of car buyers.

SJ Motorworks and its owner, Shane Beers of Akron, are accused of violating Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act and Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title Act, according to a news release from Yost's office.

The dealership, which operated on West Wilbeth Road in the Kenmore area, is registered as an LLC to a Hudson address. According to court documents, the dealer did not obtain titles before selling vehicles and did not deliver titles to buyers in many cases. SJ Motorworks was in business from April 2019 through May 2023.

Of the 114 complaints sent to Yost's office, 90 focused on vehicle titles; 26 complainants were reimbursed a total of $71,687 from the Title Defect Recision Fund. The state fund is a program that helps used car buyers resolve title problems.

Beers could not be immediately reached by email or phone for comment. An operator message indicated the phone number listed for the business has been disconnected.

Yost's lawsuit, filed in Summit County Common Please Court, aims to recover the reimbursed funds while receiving enough money to resolve the remaining complaints.

Prosecutors also hope to prohibit the dealership owner from maintaining or applying for auto-dealer or auto-sales licenses.

"Before purchasing a car, make sure you’re not driving into a scam zone – research the seller and the process," Yost said in the release. "Shady dealers think they can outsmart buyers, but they’ll learn the hard truth in court."

The Better Business Bureau website shows 11 complaints were filed with the consumer advocacy group in three years. Nine of those complaints occurred in 12 months.

Consumers alleged that the business failed to produce titles, stalled titles to outlive warranties, failed to produce accurate paperwork and did not repair or provide warranty services, according to the BBB.

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ohio AG Dave Yost sues Akron auto dealer over withheld vehicle titles