A Gloucester car dealer has been banned from selling vehicles after being found guilty of fraudulent trading and misleading customers. Max Grunfeld, 34, of Coopers Edge, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on May 15 following an investigation by Gloucestershire Trading Standards. He admitted to offences including fraudulent trading, producing false service history booklets, and providing misleading information to buyers.
Grunfeld operated under the name BMG Autohaus and marketed four vehicles claiming they had complete service histories. However, subsequent investigations revealed those claims were false. On two occasions, customers were promised service history documents after their purchase, which never materialized. In one case, Grunfeld even fabricated a service history booklet to mislead a buyer.
At sentencing, Grunfeld received a three-year Community Order. This includes 25 days of rehabilitation, 200 hours of unpaid work, and a 10-year disqualification from acting as a company director. Additionally, he was issued a criminal behaviour order barring him from advertising, selling cars (other than his own), or working in the motor trade. Due to a reported gambling addiction, he must also report to court every six weeks. A Proceeds of Crime Investigation has been scheduled to examine any financial gains from his unlawful activities.
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Gloucestershire Trading Standards identified further discrepancies in service history documents on two additional vehicles during their inspection, highlighting the extent of the fraudulent practices.
Councilor Paul Hodgkinson, responsible for Trading Standards at Gloucestershire County Council, stressed the importance of protecting consumers: “This case shows how seriously we take any attempts to mislead or deceive customers. Buyers have the right to accurate and honest information when purchasing vehicles. Our team is committed to rooting out unfair and fraudulent practices and pursuing offenders to uphold consumer trust.”