WESTPORT, Mass (WPRI) — A now-closed used car dealership has been ordered to pay back thousands of dollars after selling defective and unsafe vehicles.
According to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s office, the former owner of F&R Auto Sales, Francis Correiro, has agreed to pay $450,000 in restitution and penalties.
Healey said they began investigating after receiving more than 100 individual complaints about deceptive auto sales and practices by F&R Auto, including the routine sale of defective vehicles and the failure to provide transactional documents, such as titles and inspection reports.
Some customers reported that when they discovered issues with their vehicles, the dealership would dismiss them or refuse to make repairs.
According to the Attorney General’s office, F&R Auto and Correiro also failed to protect customers’ personal information.
The used auto dealership went viral on social media after an incident in January 2015, where video was shared online of employees berating a pizza delivery driver, inciting backlash against the company.
F&R Auto shut down in December 2016, after Westport’s Board of Selectmen rejected renewing the license for the troubled business.
Healey said F&R Auto and Correiro will pay $400,000 to affected customers and $50,000 in penalties.
Correiro is also banned from selling unsafe and defective cars and must contact the Attorney General’s Office if he plans to sell used vehicles again.
