Georgia makes odometer fraud a felony | Lawmakers credit Atlanta News First investigation

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - An Atlanta News First investigation into odometer fraud prompted Georgia lawmakers to make the crime a felony, effective July 1, 2026, with penalties ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 and possible jail time.

The investigation exposed how odometer fraud was a state misdemeanor, despite being a federal felony. Carfax estimates 2.5 million cars on the road have tampered odometers.

State Rep. John Corbett, R-Lake Park, who chairs the House Committee on Motor Vehicles, said the issue was not on the committee’s radar until he saw the Atlanta News First Investigates' reports.

How the investigation began

The original investigation focused on Shadaja Johnson, a first-time car buyer who purchased a 2013 Honda Ridgeline advertised on Facebook Marketplace with 153,000 miles. Johnson and her mother did a test drive but did not verify the mileage with a Carfax history report.

The night of the purchase, the Honda displayed a check engine light. The next day, they took it to a mechanic who pulled a history report. The truck’s emissions test logged an odometer reading of 285,000 miles, nearly double what the seller advertised on Facebook.

Johnson’s mother demanded a refund and received it. But a seller relisted the Honda Ridgeline with the same lower mileage.

Broader pattern uncovered

The investigation tracked down the Honda parked outside a Peachtree Corners bowling alley, along with dozens of other cars outside office buildings and one that rents space to more than 100 licensed independent car brokers.

Atlanta News First Investigates collected vehicle identification numbers and cross-referenced them with Facebook Marketplace ads. Carfax ran reports on nine cars posted on the platform. Five had odometer discrepancies of up to 170,000 miles.

Atlanta News First Investigates tracked down the independent car broker, Dennis S. Lewis, with Dede Auto Brokers, who said, “Usually when a customer comes out, you have to explain to them that the mileage is not right.”

Police investigation and arrest

When Atlanta News First Investigates asked Gwinnett County Police whether it had any complaints about Lewis, Detective Toran Huff began an investigation and spoke with customers who filed police reports.

“None of them mentioned that it was disclosed to them that there was an odometer rollback when they purchased their vehicles, which is a pretty big red flag,” Huff said.

Huff also interviewed John Groneman, who purchased a Lexus featured in the Atlanta News First Investigates‘ report. Groneman discovered a 77,500-mile discrepancy when he found the investigation posted online.

“Then a list started scrolling up, and I paused and looked, and mine was the first one on the list,” Groneman said. “For the next five hours, I felt pretty nauseous.”

Groneman filed a police report, and Huff obtained a warrant for Lewis, who turned himself in at the Gwinnett County Jail on allegations of odometer fraud. His case is pending, and under the law at the time of his arrest, the charge was a misdemeanor.

Law passes unanimously

In February, Corbett presented an amended bill to state lawmakers. The new section makes odometer fraud a felony with fines from $1,500 to $10,000 and possible jail time. The bill passed unanimously and went into effect July 1, 2026.

Corbett said the investigation highlighted a critical consumer protection issue.

“Next to buying a house, usually your automobile is the second largest purchase that someone makes,” Corbett said. “We knew we had to do something to strengthen the penalty.”

Senate Bill 293 also gives the state greater oversight of used-car brokers and adds two new state investigators.

How to protect yourself when buying from a broker

To avoid falling victim to odometer fraud or other deceptive practices, follow these steps when purchasing a vehicle from an auto broker:

• Verify credentials: Always ask to see the broker’s license, business license, insurance and bond information.
• Auction score: Most brokers acquire cars at auction. Ask for the car’s auction score, typically on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best.
• History report: Always purchase a comprehensive vehicle history report, such as Carfax, to check for mileage discrepancies, accident history and other vital information.
• Pre-purchase inspection: Before finalizing any purchase, take the car to an independent, trusted mechanic for a thorough inspection.

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