Victims of alleged fraud fight car dealer in Outagamie Co. Court

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) – An ongoing investigation into a Northeast Wisconsin car dealership takes a new step forward in civil court.

Action 2 News first told you about the fraud investigation into Standard Pre-Owned car lots in Suamico and Kaukauna back in May.

Both are now closed.

In a search warrant, investigators say the Department of Transportation has investigated 46 cases of fraud relating to general manager John Solberg since 2011.

The warrant says Solberg would contact people who were trying to sell their cars on Craigslist and offer to sell it for them.

However, investigators say Solberg “refused to pay the owners after the sale,” would sell vehicles for a lower price or refused to let the owners have their own cars back.

When people complained, investigators say he’d write checks that would bounce.

Now months into the investigation the FBI is now involved as victims come forward from multiple states.

As the victims hope for criminal charges to be filed they’re taking matters into their own hands, filing a civil lawsuit.

As a sign of solidarity, about 25 people claiming to be victims of fraud while dealing with Standard Pre-Owned Auto and Solberg showed up for a civil case Monday afternoon filed in Outagamie County.

Together they claim their stolen cars account for about $450,000.

Dennis Behnke of Neenah said, “I didn’t put the truck on that lot thinking I was going to get defrauded in any way. I thought it was a legitimate business and it was going to get sold and if there was a problem the DOT would watch over this to make sure it’s handled correctly.”

While the civil case is ongoing, many of the victims are now asking for changes at the Department of Transportation and Department of Motor Vehicles that would have prevented their titles from changing hands without the owner’s signature.

“The Department of Motor vehicles registered these cars illegally unregistered, and these people are driving these cars around. The cars are still in people’s names. They drove for months under my title, my name,” said Richard Sprague of Kaukauna.

April Retzke of New Rome added, “I’m very mad. I do not believe that between Brown County, Outagamie County, the DOT, the DMV, none of them are doing their job to keep any of us people safe.”

Action 2 News did reach out to Solberg’s attorney who was in court Monday. He did not wish to comment.

Further proceedings are scheduled for late September.