New HampshireDepartment of JusticeOffice of the Attorney General

News Release

For Immediate Release
August 4, 2023

Contact:
Michael S. Garrity, Director of Communications
michael.s.garrity@doj.nh.gov | (603) 931-9375

Kevin P.J. Scura, Assistant Attorney General
Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau
Kevin.P.J.Scura@doj.nh.gov | (603) 271-8368

James Romeyn ("JR") Davis, Assistant Attorney General
Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau

Former Dusty Old Cars Owner Stephan Condodemetraky Pleads Guilty to Stealing Over $266,00 from Three Victims

Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces that Stephan Condodemetraky, 54, of Bedford, pleaded guilty and has been sentenced in the Rockingham County Superior Court to two class A felony counts of Theft By Unauthorized Taking (TBUT) and one class A felony count of Theft By Deception (TBD) as part of a fully negotiated plea agreement.

Mr. Condodemetraky was the founder, owner, and president of the now-defunct companies that did business as "Dusty Old Cars." Starting in 2015, the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the New Hampshire Department of Justice received a large volume of consumer complaints against Mr. Condodemetraky and Dusty Old Cars. The Bureau continued to receive complaints even after the Dusty Old Cars companies declared bankruptcy and began the process of being liquidated in 2017. In response to the complaints, the Bureau opened a broad investigation into Mr. Condodemetraky and his business. That investigation resulted in a series of criminal charges against Mr. Condodemetraky spanning multiple cases and counties. This plea agreement resolves all of the Bureau's prosecutions against Mr. Condodemetraky that had not previously concluded.

The investigation in this case revealed, among other things, that Mr. Condodemetraky stole over $16,000 combined from two customers who had consigned their cars with Dusty Old Cars. After Dusty Old Cars had sold the victims' cars, Mr. Condodemetraky underreported the price at which their cars had sold and kept the difference for himself. This conduct was the basis for the TBUT charges. Mr. Condodemetraky admitted he was guilty of those thefts.

The investigation also revealed that Mr. Condodemetraky convinced an investor to give the Dusty Old Cars companies $250,000 by promising he would use that money for the business when Mr. Condodemetraky knew he would use that money as his own. This conduct was the basis for the TBD charge. Mr. Condodemetraky admitted he was guilty of that theft.

The Court sentenced Mr. Condodemetraky to three concurrent, fully suspended sentences of 7.5-15 years in New Hampshire State Prison, with the period of suspension running for 10 years from Mr. Condodemetraky's release from the four concurrent, 1.5–5 year stand committed state prison sentences that he received after being found guilty in the Hillsborough County Superior Court – Southern District of six additional thefts stemming from the State's investigation of Mr. Condodemetraky and Dusty Old Cars.

As part of the fully negotiated plea agreement, the remainder of the State's outstanding charges against Mr. Condodemetraky are being dismissed and Mr. Condodemetraky has agreed to withdraw his appeal of his January convictions in the Hillsborough County Superior Court. Mr. Condodemetraky will surrender himself to begin serving his stand committed prison sentence in October.

In all, for his conduct running Dusty Old Cars, New Hampshire juries have convicted Mr. Condodemetraky of seven felony thefts, and he has pleaded guilty to three more, served 48 hours in the Rockingham County House of Corrections, been sentenced to 1.5-5 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, and been ordered to pay a total of $390,876.60 in non-dischargeable criminal restitution to his victims.

Mr. Condodemetraky's suspended sentences will also be in effect for 10 years after his release from State Prison; will require him to pay the ordered restitution and be of good behavior; and will prevent him from owning or working with a New Hampshire retail dealer of automobiles.

This case was investigated by Investigator Frederick Lulka and prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Kevin P.J. Scura and Assistant Attorney General James Romeyn ("JR") Davis.

The Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau investigates and prosecutes fraud against New Hampshire consumers. To file a complaint with the New Hampshire Department of Justice, call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-888-468-4454 or file a complaint online at https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints.

New Hampshire Department of Justice
1 Granite Place South | Concord, NH | 03301
Telephone: 603-271-3658