Two brothers, Wichita dealership must pay $500,000 after ignoring lawsuit, court says

Two brothers and their now-defunct Wichita car dealership have been ordered to pay more than $500,000 after they ignored the district attorney’s lawsuit, the prosecutor’s office said.

Obada Alashqar, Abdallah Alashqar and their former car dealership, Adams Auto Sales & Repairs LLC, were ordered to pay $526,802, District Attorney Marc Bennett said in a release.

The district attorney’s office launched an investigation of the brothers and their dealership at 220 E. Kellogg following consumer complaints last year, the release said. More complaints were received after prosecutors filed a lawsuit following the investigation.

The district attorney’s lawsuit alleged 48 violations, including failure to disclose safety recalls, failure to provide car titles, taking customer trade-in vehicles without paying for them, selling vehicles “as is” and not having an auto dealer license with the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Judge Jeffrey Goering granted the district attorney’s request for summary judgment after the brothers did not participate in the lawsuit and failed to appear in court last month, the release said. The brothers were ordered to pay over $45,000 in restitution to more than 40 consumers, $480,000 in civil penalties and other costs and fees.