Chevy store finance manager charged with forgery, theft
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The finance manager for a dealership outside Pittsburgh faces charges of forgery, theft and receiving stolen property for allegedly submitting phony signatures on customer documents and keeping money for himself.
Thomas Carrigan, 35, of Monessen, Pa., was arrested on March 5, according to police records. Carrigan was working as the finance manager at C Harper Chevrolet-Buick-Cadillac, in the Township of Ostrava in Belle Vernon, Pa., police said.
According to police, Carrigan allegedly forged a customer's signature on a contract after changing the amount of the down payment. A police "affidavit of probable cause" cited only one example, but Carrigan is charged with a total of 16 counts each of theft and receiving stolen property.
The dealership general manager, Dave Marchitello, first reported the thefts in January, police said.
Marchitello said in a phone interview today that the dealership so far has identified $22,400 in gross profits Carrigan allegedly pocketed for himself.
"He wasn't stealing from customers, which is not to say customers weren't involved. In effect, he was embezzling from us," the general manager said.
He said most of the missing money was related to the sale of extended-service contracts and other F&I products; Carrigan allegedly kept dealership gross profits for himself. Marchitello said accountants allegedly discovered 10 customer transactions in which money was missing. Carrigan was terminated the same day he was arrested, the general manager said.
According to court records, the charges date back to offenses that allegedly took place as early as August 2012.
Carrigan faces a preliminary hearing on March 18, court records said.
You can reach Jim Henry at autonews@crain.com.
