Two Tennessee men, John Alan Nebel, 39, and Joshua David Nichols, 52, seem to have taken “recycling” to a whole new level.
Instead of collecting cans and bottles, they allegedly collected old fuel injectors, gave them a little makeover, and sold them as part of a scheme to defraud Ford Motor Company. Move over, Pinterest, there’s a new DIY king in town!
According to court documents, Nebel and Nichols, who worked at the cleverly named SWAG Performance & Off-Road LLC (we see what you did there, guys), allegedly bought used fuel injectors for cheap, slapped on some fake Ford labels, and sold them to customers at a hefty markup.
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These customers, thinking they were getting genuine Ford parts, then claimed the $180 rebate from Ford, leaving the company feeling a little “injected” with frustration.
It seems these entrepreneurial mechanics thought they could outsmart Ford and make a quick buck. But alas, their alleged scheme has landed them in hot water, facing up to 20 years in federal prison and a hefty fine. Looks like they might be trading in their wrenches for handcuffs.
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This case serves as a reminder that honesty is still the best policy, even when it comes to fuel injectors. And if you’re thinking about starting your own creative rebate scheme, you might want to think twice – or you could end up with a “fuel-injected” sentence.
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