Springfield man speaks out after investigators say he’s part of a fraud scheme involving used car dealership

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - New details are emerging about the fraud case against the owner of Queen City Motors in Springfield.

We’re also learning about other people who say they’ve been victimized by Chris King’s scheme.

He has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft.

Rich Testerman says he is just one of at least 30 people who are part of the financial scheme investigation uncovered by the federal government.

He said, “How do you just stand there and lie to me like that? Was it worth it? This has cost me a lot of sleepless nights.”

Testerman says he considered doing business with the used car dealership.

“I had done a pre-approval on his website a few months before I was ready to buy,” he explained.

Instead, he found what he wanted elsewhere.

He said, “I found a vehicle at another dealership and I tried to purchase it. The loan company that they were going through had called me and said I was not paying my payment for the Ford Explorer that I had bought. I’m like, what Ford Explorer?”

Testerman contacted the lender used by King’s company.

“I said you don’t have a driver’s license, you don’t have a social security card, you don’t have any identification? They said, no,” he explained.

Confused, Testerman says he went straight to the source.

“I contacted Queen City, went to their office, talked to them and they said, oh somebody must have stolen your identity off of our website. They were sorry about it,” he said.

Testerman says the loan for the car he didn’t own was canceled by that company after they investigated.

He also says that King was convincing and bought his story of his company being hacked.

He even offered to get him into another vehicle.

“I’ll carry the note and you just pay me every month. I thought, hey, he’s trying to be a nice guy,” said Testerman.

He says he then contacted Springfield Police to report the identity theft. He soon found out that he was involved in a much bigger case.

“They said they were investigating it. They went into his office and seized some files, including mine. Then they called me back a little while later, maybe a month or so later, and said that the secret service had come in and taken over the investigation because it involved wire fraud,” explained Testerman.

Now he says he’s left picking up the pieces.

“The information is still on my credit reports, like the fake address and the fake place of employment,” he said.

Testerman says he’s still somewhat in the dark about what happens next.

He said, “I don’t know who I’m paying. What happens to us if we can’t get our titles? What’s happening here?”

Testerman says he hopes King pays a hefty price.

“The penalties aren’t worth the financial gain. You’re going to get caught,” he said.

Testerman says he has since signed up for a credit monitoring system that will alert him to any activity.

Court documents read King completed loan applications through wire transmissions without the customer’s knowledge or consent. The prosecutor also says he used nearly $800,000 for his own personal benefit.

There’s no date yet for sentencing.

King faces up to 20 years in prison along with fines and restitution.

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