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Icon Moto Sports in Norfolk is the latest company barred from doing business on all area installations.
Lieutenant Commander Vic Marquez, deputy Judge Advocate General with the Mid-Atlantic region, says sailors accused the company of making false promises.
“At least one of the sailors actually didn't even own a driver's license, so some of the sailors are junior sailors,” Marquez said. “So they're young, inexperienced. They don't have driver's licenses and they're vulnerable.”
Sailors were not offered refunds for defective cars from Icon Moto Sports. The Navy uncovered evidence of birddogging - paying people to refer people to the dealership for a fee, which is also illegal under Virginia law.
Sailors were approached on base and offered a free drivers course which turned out to be through the dealership, Marquez said.
“In other words, we had a used car dealership that was holding itself out as a free driving safety course rather than a used car dealership. And doing so on base, which is not allowed,” he said.
Other sailors were left with two car payments, after the dealership promised to sell their car, Marquez said. One case was referred to the Virginia Motor Vehicle Licensing Board.
A person saying they were a representative of Icon Moto Sports returned a phone call from WHRO and said they would call back later before hanging up.
Icon Moto Sports joins twelve other companies barred from bases around the region by the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board, which also covers the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Air Force bases in the region.
