Graffis Motors closes; manager can't be found

Graffis Motors closes; manager can't be found

October 25, 2001

THE FORMER Graffis used-car lot sits empty after the business closed. Most of the vehicles have been taken to Mega Auto Superstore in Farmington.

by Aspen C. Emmett
Journal Staff Writer

Just as the cars and trucks at Graffis Motors seemingly disappeared overnight, so has the business’ general manager, according to the owner.

Paul Graffis said Wednesday most of the vehicles at the lot at 1319 E. Main in Cortez have been moved to Mega Auto Superstore in Farmington, where he is a partner in that dealership, and sales at the Cortez lot have been suspended.

Graffis also said the general manager of Graffis Motors, Jamie Still, is nowhere to be found.

Graffis’ attorney, Kelly McCabe, said Wednesday that there was an investigation regarding financial improprieties at the Cortez used-car business, but could not confirm rumors that Graffis was the victim of embezzlement and fraud.

"I can only say that the entire matter is being investigated," McCabe told the Journal Wednesday. "I am investigating on behalf of Mr. Graffis and there is an ongoing investigation through law enforcement."

No criminal charges had been filed in the courts as of Wednesday.

McCabe said neither he nor law-enforcement officers have been able to contact Still, so there are several questions unanswered.

"I don’t know at this point if he (Still) is a suspect from law enforcement’s perspective," McCabe said. "He has made himself very scarce and we have not been able to locate him. We think that once we can get in touch with him, we can get a lot more answers."

McCabe said that Graffis is corresponding with customers that might have been caught in the middle of the business’s problems and stated that there would be a public statement by early next week to address those concerns in depth.

"Paul is doing everything he can do to make sure that any customers out there are satisfied as much as possible," McCabe assured.

"I have dealt with a few customers on a case-by-case basis, but all I have been able to tell them is that we don’t have any money to pay anybody at this point."

McCabe said that the problems that have arisen at Graffis Motors date back only 60 days, adding that he could not speculate about how much money is involved in the alleged financial impropriety.

"As far as the amount of money, I can only say that it is a very substantial sum," he said.

"We really don’t know the entire extent of the amount at issue yet. We are working very hard with accountants to reconstruct this whole thing and figure out exactly what is there, but right now it is premature for us to speculate on the total amount."

Graffis assured the Journal that customers should not be concerned at this point and he would be updating the public as soon as he could.

"We’re working day and night on everything right now, but at this point we can’t elaborate because we don’t know what direction this is going," Graffis said.