Ohio Chevrolet Dealers

BMV: No wrongdoing in Ohio State car purchases

Ohio State football players did not receive improper deals when buying cars from two Columbus-area dealerships, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles said Tuesday following an investigation of 25 vehicle sales.

Questions about players' car purchases arose in the wake of a scandal in which some players received cash and tattoos for autographs, championship rings and equipment.

The scandal forced out coach Jim Tressel because he knew of the memorabilia sales for months without alerting Ohio State officials, in violation of his contract.

The Ohio BMV undertook its review following allegations that the dealerships sold vehicles to Ohio State athletes and family members at below market rates.

The BMV's 65-page report issued Tuesday said the certificates of titles for cars sold by Jack Maxton Chevrolet and Auto Direct to players and families accurately reflected the vehicles' sales prices.

The investigation also rejected allegations that the sales prices did not reflect the true cost of the vehicles because players provided dealers with tickets, jerseys and other memorabilia in place of cash.

"We found no evidence in the dealers' business records that tickets and/or sports memorabilia were included in the sales," the report said.

The dealers and their lawyers also said the allegations were false. Aaron Kniffin, the salesman who sold most of the vehicles at both dealerships, also denied the allegations in a sworn affidavit that was previously made public, according to Tuesday's report.

"The deals that I did for Ohio State student-athletes were no different than any of the other 10,000-plus deals that I've done for all my other customers," Kniffin said in that May 10 affidavit.

Kniffin said any sales involving Ohio State players were forwarded to the general manager, who contacted Ohio State's compliance office.

The university said at this point it has no reason to believe any student athletes received improper car purchases.

"Today's report from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles supports the sworn statements two Columbus auto dealers provided us that the manner in which they conducted sales with Ohio State student athletes adhered to university and NCAA rules," said Doug Archie, Ohio State's athletics compliance director.

The investigation found that Auto Direct made money on the 10 vehicles it sold to players and families and that Jack Maxton made money on 14 of 15 sales; one vehicle was sold at a loss because it had been on the lot longer than 150 days.

Auto dealers cleared in Ohio State University scandal

Ohio auto dealers Jack Maxton Chevrolet and Auto Direct did not participate in transactions with Ohio State University athletes that violated state law, reports The Columbus Dispatch. According to investigators from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, no irregularities were detected in how the dealerships reported vehicle sales to Ohio State athletes and family members. The university and the NCAA plans no further investigation of the vehicle transactions.

In the wake of head football coach Jim Tressel’s resignation following an NCAA investigation into several players trading signed memorabilia for cash, tattoos and marijuana at the Fine Line Link tattoo parlor in Columbus, Ohio State administration considered an independent investigation into whether athletes also received improper benefits at the automotive dealerships. However, the university decided that the Ohio BMV’s investigation was sufficient.

In total, records for 25 vehicle sales were scrutinized, and the dealerships were found to have profited on 24 of the sales. Neither the prices paid for the vehicles nor the full nature of the sale that did not produce dealer profit have been disclosed by state authorities, as the numbers are considered proprietary business information. What is known is that the lone below-cost sale occurred at Jack Maxton Chevrolet and involved a car that had been in inventory “for months,” according to the BMV report.

The presence of Aaron Kniffin, who worked as a salesman at both Maxton and later Auto Direct, became a matter of inquiry in the case, indicates the Dispatch. In fact, Kniffin’s admission that the sale prices on the cars sold to the players were “much higher” than the amounts listed on the titles is what prompted the state vehicle authority to get involved.

Ohio State quarterback Terrell Pryor left the team after the NCAA discovered he has used up to six vehicles from the dealerships, and all of them traced back to Kniffin in some way. Pryor’s legal representation is now arguing that the Ohio BMV report reinforces his client’s innocence.

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