BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—According to federal court documents, Johnny Dangerfield will not spend time behind bars for his reported involvement in a car dealership scheme that resulted in big profits for the former Suzuki dealer. On July 18, prosecutors dismissed the indictment and Judge C. Weston Houck approved it.
For years, Johnny’s Suzuki was a staple on Lowcountry television. Every weekend, the car dealership’s 30-minute infomercials inundated the airwaves—all filmed right in Moncks Corner featuring Johnny Dangerfield and his co-host Natalie Phillips, a former Savannah news anchor. Those infomercials ended in 2009 when Dangerfield closed down his dealerships, citing a downturn in the economy.
Fast forward two years later and Dangerfield was back in the news—this time facing criminal charges. On May 11, 2011 Dangerfield was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering and structuring financial transactions in order to evade reporting requirements.
According to the indictment, Dangerfield received “incentive money” from American Suzuki Corporation for certain Suzuki vehicles sold. However, authorities said he received that money having never actually sold the vehicles. They claimed Dangerfied would provide the necessary paperwork to Suzuku about buyers who had not, in fact, purchased a car.
Through this scheme, prosecutors stated that his dealerships obtained “floor plan funding” in the amount of $3.8 million for approximately 190 cars. The indictment stated that Dangerfield, in turn, failed to pay the bank the floor plan amount allocated for those cars.
From 2004 to February 2009, Dangerfield used the money to fund his business and pay for his personal expenses, according to court documents.
Authorities added that some of Dangerfield’s employees helped him with the scheme. They are: Robert Low, Sr; Daniel Cadden, Lloyd Hayes and Jeffrey Belsky. Authorities say these men knowingly agreed and took part in the money scheme. They are also facing criminal charges.
After Dangerfield’s arrest, he was released shortly thereafter on a $50,000 bond. During his arraignment at the time, Dangerfield entered a “not guilty” plea in court.
American Suzuki filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012 and stopped selling cars the following year.
Rather than prison time, Dangerfield received three years probation.
He once had four Suzuki dealerships based in Moncks Corner, Summerville, Myrtle Beach and Easley. He also owned a Subaru-Isuzu dealership in Charleston.
Today, Dangerfield owns and operates Automaxx in Summerville.
To view the original indictment, click here.
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