Benefits of an investigation into Overton County Clerk’s Business office have been turned above to the Business of the District Legal professional Typical of the 13th Judicial District. People findings allege that phony vehicle titles were made to receive particular financial loans.
The investigation perfomed by Tennessee Comptroller’s Business, operating in conjunction with Tennessee Freeway Patrol and Tennessee Division of Revenue, exposed that Overton County Clerk Victoria Looper, operating in her capacity as clerk, allegedly altered motor vehicle titles to improperly generate new registrations and titles. She then employed individuals titles to get particular lender loans.
Crucial results from the investigation consist of the next allegations:
•The clerk altered a title for a 1949 Cadillac to reveal that it experienced been bought to just one of her loved ones users, then altered the date of the sale to stand for that it experienced been lately purchased.
The 1949 Cadillac had been wrecked in a garage hearth about the 12 months 2000. The clerk allegedly registered the title with the condition and made use of the new, bogus title as collateral to receive a $15,000 personalized financial institution financial loan.
“The clerk altered the buyer’s information and facts on the again of the title for a 1949 Cadillac by marking by the prior owner’s printed name and inserting her household member’s identify,” the investigative report states. “She also marked out the prior owner’s signature and changed it with a signature to match the family members member’s title and then altered the date of the sale to represent that the automobile had been just lately obtained.
“The prior operator, whose name and signature had been marked via on the title, stated the 1949 Cadillac experienced been destroyed in a garage fire sometime all over the calendar year 2000. The clerk registered the altered title with the Condition of Tennessee and subsequently offered the fake title to a economical institution as collateral for a individual mortgage.”
•The clerk altered the transaction data on the title for a 1979 Ford. Even though this car or truck no more time exists, the clerk allegedly registered the auto with the state and employed the new, false title as section of the collateral to obtain a $28,000 own financial institution bank loan.
“The clerk received a 2nd title from the very same acquaintance described over for a 1979 Ford,” the investigative report states. “The seller and purchaser facts ended up concluded to present the transaction was amongst the clerk and the prior operator on the other hand, each the clerk and the acquaintance said the title passed from the acquaintance to the clerk, not the prior operator to clerk.
“This 1979 Ford no for a longer time exists having said that, the clerk registered the title with the Point out of Tennessee and introduced the fake title to a economic establishment as collateral for a particular loan.”
During an job interview with Highway Patrol and Revenue investigators, Looper reportedly admitted to altering titles to get hold of financial loans, and she stated she by no means took possession of the automobiles in question.
“The Overton County Clerk altered motor vehicle titles to improperly generate new registrations and new titles, which she utilized to acquire individual bank financial loans,” the investigative report states. “During our investigation, the clerk said she was specified paper certificates of title (titles) to motor vehicles by an acquaintance, and she altered at minimum two of these titles, falsifying gross sales details to acquire new registrations and new titles. She then applied these new vehicle titles to receive own financial loans.”
Looper also allegedly manipulated and/or averted paying gross sales tax by declaring vehicles as items, therefore falsifying county and state records. In one particular occasion, the clerk sold a automobile to a mechanic to whom she owed money and permitted it to be registered as a gift to the buyer.
Investigators also allege that Looper had misappropriated county-owned assets when she taken out business office home furniture, devices, and some flooring from the Clerk’s Business house. She did not obtain acceptance from Overton County Government Ben Danner. The workplace household furniture and other products was loaded into a trailer and taken to personal house. None of individuals merchandise had been returned to the county as of the day of the report.
“Public officers must carry out government company with a substantial amount of integrity,” reported Comptroller Jason E. Mumpower. “Falsifying transactions and producing faulty tax exemptions violate point out suggestions and statutes. Citizens count on their elected officers to exhibit both equally private and expert ethical conduct.”
To view the investigative report go to https://comptroller.tn.gov/place of work-capabilities/investigations/locate.html.
Looper, who has been in business considering the fact that 2014, is at present running for re-election to the office.
Overton County Audit Committee satisfied Tuesday, April 12 to talk about results in the County Clerk’s Workplace.
According to Audit Committee member County Commissioner Donna Savage, initially resolved the acquiring concerning money not remaining deposited within 3 days, and Looper advised them that she is now creating each day deposits.
The next finding was that the County Clerk is underneath evaluation.
“When I questioned the County Clerk if she could enlighten us on why she is underneath overview, she instructed me that I could chat with her lawyer,” Commissioner Savage stated.
“I have built a call to her attorney and left a message but acquired no reaction.”
She noted that meetings are open to the public, taped, and saved at the County Executive’s Business.
The Audit Committee will meet up with at 12:30 p.m. Monday, May well 2.
