(YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced a lawsuit against Reinthaler’s Auto Village Inc. and owner Joseph Reinthaler for failing to deliver motor vehicle titles to consumers.
The lawsuit seeks reimbursement for consumers and for the Title Defect Rescission Fund, which helps consumers resolve title problems that occur after they buy a vehicle from a dealership.
Reinthaler’s Auto Village operated at 560 West Main Street in Canfield. Dozens of consumers filed complaints, with most saying they failed to receive a title after buying a vehicle from the dealership. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office assisted consumers, in some cases making payments from the Title Defect Rescission Fund. To date, approximately $180,000 has been paid from the fund to help resolve Reinthaler’s Auto Village complaints.
“We have an obligation to protect consumers and to enforce the law,” Attorney General DeWine said. “In this case, we helped resolve consumers’ complaints, and now we’re seeking restitution.”
In the lawsuit, filed in the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, the Attorney General accuses Reinthaler’s Auto Village and Joseph Reinthaler of violating Ohio’s Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title Act and seeks an end to any further violations of the law, reimbursement, and civil penalties.
In a separate case involving related activity, Reinthaler has pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges in the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
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Documents
Lawsuit (PDF)
Media Contacts
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Kate Hanson: 614-466-3840