It seems hard to believe, but this is the second Subaru dealer in Vermont who caught a trusted employee embezzling money. This time, an office manager took $144,000 and used it for her personal use. Here is the amazing story from Oliver Subaru.
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A second Subaru dealer in Vermont has been scammed.
In my report this week, I wrote about a Subaru dealer in Vermont who found a trusted employee of 22 years who embezzled nearly $200,000 from them. It's incredible, but another Vermont Subaru dealer found out its office manager and controller embezzled $144,000 from them.
A report from Automotive News reports that Madison Carrig, an office manager and controller at Oliver Subaru in Rutland, Vermont, embezzled a combined $144,000 from three Vermont dealerships.
Madison Carrig, age 29, of Whitehall, N.Y., pleaded guilty to two counts of federal access device fraud after embezzling money from Lundgren Dodge-Ram of Rutland and Lundgren Audi-Volkswagen, part of Lundgren Automotive Group, from September 2022 to February 2023, and then at Oliver Subaru of Rutland as controller until November 2023.
The Vermont State Police swiftly initiated an investigation in November 2023 upon receiving a report of an employee admitting to taking cash from Oliver Subaru. Their thorough investigation uncovered 17 embezzlement counts, as Vermont Business Magazine reported.
Carrig took $124,000 from Oliver Subaru and $20,000 from the other dealerships. As office manager and controller, she was authorized to sign checks, initiate wire transfers, deposit funds into dealership accounts, and use a company credit card, according to a federal information court filing.
According to the U.S. attorney's office, Carrig embezzled cash receipts from customers and misused company credit cards for personal purchases.
The report says Carrig was named in a plea agreement for two counts of access device fraud on July 12, and she pleaded guilty to the charges on August 30, 2024.
Her sentencing is scheduled for February 4, and she faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Phone messages from Automotive News seeking comment from Oliver Subaru of Rutland owner Jose Oliver described the situation as a betrayal of trust.
Oliver Subaru is a small family owned dealer and $144,000 is a lot of money.
"We caught it early on," he said. "It could have been devastating if it went on for longer."
Despite these incidents, it's important to remember that Subaru has a strong and loyal customer base in Vermont.
My report here reveals that Subaru has the highest ownership rate of any automaker in Vermont. There is a quote from a Subaru media representative saying that Subaru is "The official car of Vermont."
Another report on The Most Popular Cars by State reveals that the Subaru Impreza is the ninth most popular new vehicle in America in one U.S. state: Vermont. Read my story here.
Subaru has the most loyal customers in Vermont and is the unofficial car brand of the state, but not all Subaru dealers' employees are loyal. Jose Oliver, owner of Oliver Subaru of Rutland, found out the hard way.
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Oliver Subaru
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