Prince Albert car dealer fined $10,000 — again

An unlicensed car dealer in Prince Albert faces $10,000 in fines after pleading guilty to violating the Motor Dealer’s Act.

Complaints from customers prompted authorities to launch an investigation into George Yannacoulias, who owns PA Autobrokers, and his company, Athforth Holdings Ltd.

The investigation resulted in 54 charges against Yannacoulias and his company alleging they sold vehicles without a licence and represented themselves as a licensed dealer without a valid licence, according to a government news release.

The charges against Yannacoulias were dropped after Athforth Holdings entered a guilty plea.

The Athforth Holdings licence was cancelled in 2008 for violations of the Weights and Measures Act after Yannacoulias pleaded guilty to 40 counts related to odometer tampering.

Those charges resulted from a yearlong RCMP Border Integrity Unit investigation.

At the time, Yannacoulias was fined $10,000 and ordered to pay more than $56,000 in restitution to people who had bought cars from his company.

The vehicles were later resold to people in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.

The Crown dropped 40 counts of fraud, as well as possession of criminal proceeds and money laundering, after he pleaded guilty in 2008. The total sale price of the cars amounted to almost $175,000.

Yannacoulias and Athforth are not licensed to sell motor vehicles in Saskatchewan.