A man who swindled dozens of people in a car business will serve an unusual jail sentence.
Zachary Moore, who ran a business called Civics Reborn, pleaded guilty this week in Hennepin County District Court to felony theft by swindle of more than $35,000. Under the plea agreement, he is expected to serve 100 days in jail, with 10 days to be served each year of his 10-year probation.
He also must pay approximately $200,000 in restitution to his victims. To encourage him to do that as swiftly as possible, he can be released from his probation as soon as all of the people he ripped off are completely paid back. As part of the agreement, prosecutors dismissed eight counts of failure to remit sales tax and an Anoka County case of theft by swindle.
According to the criminal complaint, customers would go to Civics Reborn, which operated out of offices in Brooklyn Park, Lexington, Minneapolis and Isanti County, looking to buy 1992 to 1995 Honda Civics and order a package of repairs. Moore would require the full payment for the car and the repairs in advance. The completion date would come and go, and no car would be delivered.
When a customer complained, Moore would say he would sell the car to someone else and pay them back with those proceeds. Some cars were sold two or three times, but customers never saw the money, the complaint said. When customers would show up at the place where they had done business, they would often find it gone.
"Everyday citizens were ripped off by Mr. Moore, often taking the only money they had for transportation," said County Attorney Mike Freeman.
DAVID CHANEN
