Two men fined, penalised $22,000 for selling cheap cars with altered odometers

Two men who deceived consumers and maximised profits by selling cheap used cars with altered odometers have been issued fines and penalties worth more than $22,000.

Semir Jasic, left, and Luke Nicolas Lorraine, right, outside court. Picture: AAP.

• Duo ‘resold cheap cars, knocked thousands of kms off odometers’

A duo’s business plan to deceive consumers and maximise profits by selling off cheap used cars with altered odometers has cost them more than $22,000 in fines and penalties.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday sentenced Luke Nicolas Lorraine and Semir Jasic for unlawful car dealing and false advertising.

In sentencing, the state’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, said the pair’s conduct was inexcusable.

“You both set out to mislead members of the public about the quality of your vehicles to increase the amount you could charge for them,” she said.

“Consumers were deceived by you … this was blatant dishonesty.

“If you thought it was acceptable to lie about your vehicles’ histories and odometer readings, you were mistaken.”

Lorraine, 31, of Klemzig, and Jasic, 26, of Northgate, pleaded guilty to buying 4WDs at interstate auctions, arranging for them to be repaired, insured under other people’s names.

They changed the cars’ registration and odometers, and falsely claimed they were personally-owned and had seen little use.

One car’s odometer read 109,000km but it had actually travelled 275,000km, while a second read 168,000 when it had really been driven for 376,000km.

If a customer discovered the changes and complained, the duo refunded their purchase — and then sold the car again.

Last month, counsel for the duo insisted they had made “very little profit” and had not deliberately changed the odometers, merely “replacing” them due to malfunction.

Jasic, they said, justified his actions to himself by saying “everyone lies in car ads” as he “stupidly tried to make a couple of bucks” and “stepped over the line”.

Judge Hribal said a clear message had to be sent to the community that false business practices would not be tolerated.

She fined Lorraine $11,900, ordering he pay one customer $2593.77 in compensation.

Jasic was fined $10,500, and ordered to pay $1200 to a former customer.

Outside court, Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Dino Soulio said the penalties highlighted the seriousness of the pair’s offending.

“Lorraine and Jasic lied to their victims about the cars they were selling and took significant steps to try and conceal the history of these cars,” he said.

“It’s blatantly dishonest conduct that represents a gross breach of trust to consumers.”

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