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Men Charged With Defrauding Auto Dealers
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Published: February 15, 2008
DUNEDIN — Two men have been charged with allegedly defrauding three local auto dealerships.
Steven Lee Humphries, 46, of 47 North Pine Circle, Belleair, has been charged with three counts of grand theft, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff's spokesman.
Humphries surrendered to Sheriff's Office detectives at his attorney's office Friday afternoon. Detectives have been investigating the alleged fraud scheme for a year, according to the spokesman.
An alleged accomplice, David Vanniel, 42, of 2178 Chantilly Lane, Dunedin, had earlier been charged with committing a scheme to defraud.
Police report Humphries owns S&M Truck World in Clearwater, which installs aftermarket items like bedliners, tool boxes and ladder racks on fleet vehicles purchased from local dealers.
Detectives allege over a period of six years, Humphries benefited financially by billing the auto dealers for after-market items or installations which were not ordered or received by the dealers.
The Sheriff's Office identified the victim businesses as Walker Ford, AutoWay and Crown Ford.
The overbillings primarily involved extra add-on equipment orders for fleet vehicles. Detectives say Humphries shared a percentage of the fraudulent sales with other persons, who already have been or will be arrested.
In all, detectives estimate the proceeds from the fraudulent billings will exceed $1 million over the six year period and were split among the participants.
Other arrests are forthcoming, the Sheriff's spokesman said.
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