Business owner ‘sold’ same SUV multiple times in $300,000 Missouri scheme, feds say

The owner of a car restoration business tricked multiple people into sending him money for a 2002 Ford Excursion he listed for sale on social media sites, including Facebook, according to federal authorities.

The Missouri man also took payments from people needing their vehicles repaired but then never did the work he was paid to do, authorities said.

Ronald Johnson made at least $300,000 defrauding other people, then used that money to gamble and go on vacations with his girlfriend, according to a March 3 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Now the 55-year-old man from St. Peters has been indicted on two counts of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud, records show. All counts are felonies.

Johnson pleaded not guilty on Feb. 24, according to court records.

The defense attorney representing Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on Feb. 6.

Authorities said Johnson owned Full Out Customs LLC, and from December 2021 to December 2022, he “sold” a 2002 Ford Excursion to more than one buyer. In the indictment filed in court, prosecutors said two people wired money from Pennsylvania and South Dakota for the SUV.

He also created fake car titles and documents as part of the scheme, authorities said.

St. Peters is about 30 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis.