A former resident of Wayne County, Clark P. Rittersbach, 49, now residing in Florida, was charged last week with wire fraud by federal officials over an alleged classic car restoration scam.
The charge was announced by U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York, Trini Ross, and involves more than $1 million that Rittersbach allegedly collected but failed to fulfill promised restorations. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Rittersbach, the sole owner and manager of Concours Classic Motor Cars in Macedon from 2006 to at least 2021, specialized in restoring and selling antique vehicles with a client base spanning multiple countries. The complaint states that Rittersbach, since 2017, falsely billed three individuals for work on their antique cars, which he either did not finish or did not begin, despite claiming otherwise via email and text.
The victims include a Pennsylvania resident who paid Rittersbach for multiple vehicle purchases or restorations between 2009 and 2019, a Canadian resident who paid $374,000 for the acquisition or restoration of six antique cars between 2014 and 2021, and a UK and France resident who commissioned the restoration of a 1926 Rolls-Royce “Silver Ghost” in 2008. According to federal officials, Rittersbach became unresponsive when pressed for evidence of work done, leading to the involvement of a private investigator and an attorney, revealing minimal restoration efforts.
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