Georgia Pastor, Car Dealer and Convicted Fraudster Charged With Doing Even More Fraud
Athens, Georgia is known for the University of Georgia and its back-to-back national championship-winning football team, but it’s home to a lot more than that, including R.E.M, the Drive-By Truckers and far too many of this humble author’s late-night mistakes. It’s also home to H and P Auto Brokers, a car dealership owned by a local pastor who is currently facing charges of forgery, theft by deception and identity theft.
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WSB-TV reports that back in September, Pastor R. A. Hill was convicted on charges of identity fraud, forgery, and theft by deception. But that conviction apparently didn’t stop him from continuing his criminal behavior. Only weeks later, he allegedly returned to his criminal ways. Hill has now been charged with 10 new counts of forgery, theft by deception and identity theft.
“I’m fairly certain it’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Athens-Clarke County Police Detective Nathaniel Franco, told WSB-TV. “He will use people’s real identity, who bought a car with him in the past. He’ll use their identity to register vehicles in their name without their knowledge.”
Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray reportedly spent weeks trying to get Hill to sit down for an interview before he finally agreed. “We just want a fair investigation, be fair,” Hill told Gray on camera. “I think you guys are used to dealing with people that run from you guys. I’m not intimidated by you guys.”
But while Hill did show up for the interview, he was reportedly several hours late. In the meantime, some more bad news dropped for him.
“Have you told someone you’re trying to purchase Park Chevrolet in Spartanburg, South Carolina? It’d be great if they went into business with you,” Gray asked Hill.
“I’m confused on why you’re asking me about what business we’re trying to do,” Hill replied.
“Because in the three hours since we’ve been waiting on you to show up here, there have been new charges filed against you in relation to that deal,” responded Gray.
Those new charges are apparently related to yet another scheme where Hill allegedly forged documents and signatures in an attempt to purchase another dealership. Supposedly, it was part of an attempt to steal more than $1 million, with given $200,000 upfront, from the dealer.
Still, though, Hill maintains that he is innocent and that he’s never forged any documents. But we’ll see what the courts have to say in the coming months.