WICHITA, KAN. – The owner of a now-closed used car lot in downtown Wichita was sentenced for using threats and fraud in connection to his business.
Abdallah “Adam” Alashqar, 27, of Wichita, pled guilty in May of this year to two counts of criminal threat and one count of felony theft related to the operation of Adams Auto Sales & Repairs, formerly at 220 E. Kellogg, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.
The district attorney dismissed additional counts of forgery and theft as part of the plea. District Judge Bruce Brown granted Alashqar probation in the case and ordered him to pay $44,500 in restitution to two victims. Judge Brown told Alashqar that he could serve 12 months in prison if he violated the probation conditions. An investigation showed Alashqar threatened customers who complained about the used cars that they purchased at his lot.
Evidence presented in court showed Alashqar also defrauded his bank by cashing a worthless check and then spending the proceeds. As part of the plea agreement, Alashqar handed over a $3,000 refund check Thursday to a woman who bought a car from him. Alashqar also transferred a parcel of real estate back to a former employee who had tried to buy an interest in the failing business. Alashqar ran the car lot with his brother, Obada Alashqar, 25.
The younger brother was previously convicted of one felony count of conspiracy to impair a security interest for defrauding the finance company that provided a line of credit for the business. Obada Alashqar was ordered to pay $15,739.92 to NextGear Capital. The Alashqar brothers were previously ordered to pay $526,802 in a civil judgment brought by the Consumer Division of the Office of the District Attorney against the brothers and their dealership.
The Office of the District Attorney launched an investigation of the brothers and their dealership following consumer complaints that began in January 2017. The district attorney’s civil lawsuit alleged 48 consumer violations, including failure to disclose safety recalls, failure to provide car titles, taking customer trade-in vehicles without paying for them, selling vehicles “as is” and not having an auto dealer license with the Kansas Department of Revenue. The criminal and civil cases were investigated by the Investigations Division of the Office of the District Attorney.