Former motorhome dealer jailed for fraud

A former Brisbane-based motorhome dealer has appeared in court charged with fraud following a major investigation by the Office of Fair Trading into his business activities.

Alfred John Jeffreys, formerly a licenced motor dealer and director of The Motorhome Conversion Company Pty Ltd and Motorhomesoz Sales Pty Ltd, appeared in the Brisbane District Court on 17 October 2022 after pleading guilty to 11 counts of fraud totalling $692,450.

He was sentenced to five years imprisonment, suspended for a period of four years, after serving one year.

On the day of sentencing Mr Jeffreys provided partial restitution to assist affected consumers who were still owed proceeds for the sale of their motorhomes.

The court heard that motorhome owners who dealt with Mr Jeffreys lost $692,450 because of his actions after they delivered their motorhomes to him to sell on their behalf. At the time, Mr Jeffreys told the owners an amount that they could expect to receive when the motorhome was sold.

Without telling the owners, Jeffreys sold the motorhomes and received the sale proceeds into his company’s bank account.

Owners were led to believe that Mr Jeffreys had yet to sell the motorhomes, even being told in some circumstances, of potential buyers for the already sold motorhomes.

It would not be until months after the sale that some of the owners received partial payments and, if they did, it was never the full amount agreed to with Mr Jeffreys.

In July 2019 a liquidator was appointed to The Motorhome Conversion Company Pty Ltd whilst Mr Jeffreys was declared bankrupt in October 2019.

Commissioner of Fair Trading, Victoria Thomson said that misleading and fraudulent actions by motor dealers will not be tolerated.

“Consumers put their trust in these people to handle what, in some cases, has been a lifetime investment. They should be confident that what they are being told is the truth,” Ms Thomson said.

“The OFT will continue to ensure that businesses which are found to be doing the wrong thing face appropriate enforcement action.”

If consumers believe they have been deceived by a motor dealer, they are encouraged to lodge a complaint with the OFT online at http://www.qld.gov.au/fairtrading or by calling 13 QGOV (13 74 68).