Man accused of pulling a fast one at car dealership

A preliminary hearing was set in Racine County Circuit Court July 18 for an Illinois man accused of knowingly writing a bogus check to purchase a car at the Lynch GM Superstore in Burlington three years ago.

The hearing was expected to determine whether there was probable cause to send the case against Nicholas T. Ruffino, 34, of Addison, Ill., to trial.

He is facing felony charges of theft by false representation and issuance of a worthless check amounting to more than $43,000.

The sale took place in July 2009 and charges were initially filed in Circuit Court in August 2010.

According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, Ruffino allegedly gave Lynch a check for $43,155 – written on an account for a jewelry business in Cicero, Ill. – for the purchase of a 2009 Pontiac G8 GTX.

Several days after the transaction, the check was returned for non-sufficient funds. Representatives from Lynch made several attempts to resolve payment with Ruffino, the complaint said, but he failed to provide them with a cashier’s check for the amount owed.

Although the title for the vehicle had been transferred to Ruffino, Lynch obtained the car after Ruffino brought it in for service. The dealership filed a restraining order against Ruffino in civil court to prevent him from retrieving the vehicle.

When contacted by an investigator from the City of Burlington Police Department and asked why he failed to provide full payment, Ruffino allegedly said, “Stuff came up. I got busy at work.”

Further investigation into Ruffino’s bank account alleges that between May 14 and Aug. 26, 2009, he wrote out 39 checks for a total of more than $152,000 and made deposits of just $1,916. The complaint further contends that he wrote 24 checks after the account was closed, including checks of $59,222 and $14,026 to separate car dealerships in Illinois.