State Steps On Bugs For VW Work

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced a lawsuit this week against defendants accused of failing to perform work after taking payments from customers seeking restoration of vintage Volkswagen vehicles.

Operating under the name JB Bugs, the company not only failed to do the work it promised but also gave false updates to consumers about work that was supposedly in progress, the lawsuit states.

“As a Volkswagen Thing and Bug enthusiast myself, I understand the love poured into these vehicles by their owners,” Rokita said. “Unfortunately, scammers play on these kinds of passions to defraud people of money, but we will keep working to protect Hoosiers and hold businesses accountable.”

Defendants named in the lawsuit are JB Bugs Trick & Truck Shop LLC and Palm Principals LLC — both operating under the name JB Bugs — and owners John Bragg and Melanie Goode.

After customers paid JB Bugs significant sums of money for the restorations — and received assurances the work was in progress — they eventually learned the company’s building was vacated and their vintage vehicles missing.

In total, the complaint alleges that 19 consumers paid JB Bugs $227,000 without JB Bugs restoring the consumers’ vehicles or providing any refunds. The complaint alleges the defendants violated the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act’s prohibition on deceptive and unfair business practices.

Rokita is seeking restitution for the affected consumers and civil penalties against the defendants.

Defendant John Bragg is also facing criminal charges in Indiana for his actions at JB Bugs. He was recently located and arrested in North Carolina.

Anyone who believes they have encountered wrongful business practices in Indiana is encouraged to file complaints with Attorney General Rokita’s office at www.in.gov/attorneygeneral.