[ Click HERE to read the official complaint ]
Well, well, well… after a nearly 3 YEAR NIGHTMARE for car owners who were ripped off by the LIAR, CON ARTIST, and THIEF that is Clayton Thom, we finally have a “win” in the column for justice.
Clay Thom was arrested on October 30th, and arraigned on a variety of charges on October 31st, with a bond set at $8,700,000 (Case number: FWV23003707):
Clayton Thom, formerly of CNC Motors, is charged with the following charges:
PC368(D) – Crimes Against Elders, Dependent Adults, and Persons with Disabilities
A person who is not a caretaker who violates any provision of law proscribing theft, embezzlement, forgery, or fraud, or who violates Section 530.5 proscribing identity theft, with respect to the property or personal identifying information of an elder or a dependent adult, and who knows or reasonably should know that the victim is an elder or a dependent adult
PC487(A) – Grand Theft / Larceny
When the money, labor, real property, or personal property taken is of a value exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars ($950).
PC487(D) – Grand Theft / Larceny
When the property taken is any of the following: automobile.
RTC6452(C) – Failure to File State Sales / Use Taxes (eg. Tax Evasion)
Any retailer or other person who fails or refuses to furnish any return required to be made, or who fails or refuses to furnish a supplemental return or other data required by the board, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as provided in Section 7153.
RTC7152(B) – Providing Fraudulent Tax Documents
Any person who willfully aids or assists in, or procures, counsels, or advises in, the preparation or presentation, in connection with any matter arising under this part, of a return, affidavit, claim, or other document that is fraudulent or false as to any material matter, whether or not the falsity or fraud is with the knowledge or consent of the person authorized or required to present the return, affidavit, claim, or document, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as provided in Section 7153.
I don’t think that it should come as any surprise to those following this story to see these charges. Essentially, Clayton Thom is being charged with larceny (theft) of vehicles, trying to avoid (evade) paying California sales taxes, and finally providing false tax documents to evade paying California sales taxes.
Obviously, those of us who have been victims of this con artist are relieved that there is finally some justice moving foward. It’s a step in the right direction that charges have finally been brought against this piece of garbage, and hopefully he will be spending a long time behind bars thinking of the lives he upended, and the finances of the victims he destroyed. Most people who were victims are hard-working people who have saved their whole lives for these vehicles.
Also, I am hopeful that all of us victims – who filed stolen vehicle claims that were not honored by the insurers – will finally be paid out in accordance with the damage that has been done. Damage not only monetarily, but emotionally and physically as we have fought law enforcement, the California DMV, and the court system for nearly 3 years to get relief from this consignment nightmare.
A word to the wise: Never, ever consign you vehicle, regardless of the reputation of the dealer / broker.
I will update again as the event evolve in this case.
That was fast.