Attorney General Laxalt Announces Grand Jury Indictment against Two Defendants for Investment Scam


December 7, 2016

 Defendants allegedly swindled seven victims into purchasing 25 cars on personal credit

    Las Vegas, NV – Today, Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced that Shane Allan Unruh, 43, and Brian James Oney, 46, were indicted by the Clark County Grand Jury on 12 felony charges for convincing multiple individuals to purchase vehicles purportedly for use by Uber drivers. The defendants are charged with securities fraud and theft, all felony offenses. The alleged scam occurred between September and December 2015.

      According to the indictment, Unruh and Oney led their victims to believe that their company, U.B.R. Leasing, was affiliated with or under contract with Uber Technologies, a ridesharing company. The defendants solicited their victims to use personal credit towards purchasing multiple vehicles, and falsely represented that U.B.R. would make all monthly loan payments on the vehicles as well as pay for insurance and registration of the vehicles. Unruh and Oney allegedly promised that the victims would receive 30% of the net profits from each of their vehicles. However, victims were never informed that they would be personally liable for the vehicles if U.B.R. failed to make payments on the loans. Unbeknownst to victims, funds in the U.B.R. bank account were being used towards personal expenses, even as the loan payments were not being made.

        Additionally, Unruh and Oney allegedly obtained their victims’ cash or cashback checks provided by the dealership as part of their vehicle purchases. The defendants misrepresented to the victims that this money would be used to pay for registration, loan payments, and other expenses related to their vehicles, when they were instead used for other purposes.

          “Crimes such as this one can cost unsuspecting victims thousands of dollars,” said Laxalt. “This office is committed to dismantling elaborate financial schemes that fleece Nevadans out of their hard-earned money, and will continue to do so at every opportunity.”

            This case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Fraud Unit and was jointly investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.

              “The Department of Motor Vehicles is continually monitoring the vehicle industry for unscrupulous operators,” said DMV Director Terri L. Albertson. “Our investigators are dedicated to protecting the car buying public.”

                An indictment is merely a charging document; every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

                  The criminal indictments for Unruh and Oney are attached. To file a complaint about someone suspected of committing a fraud, click here.

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