Philadelphia Used Car Salesman Charged with Stealing Over $2.5 Million from Customers Who Sought Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Edward Scott Rock, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was arrested and charged by Indictment on charges of mail and wire fraud for conducting a non-delivery sales scheme in which Rock accepted payment for, but failed to deliver, automobiles to approximately 120 purchasers.     

The Indictment alleges that between 2019 and 2023, Edward Scott Rock obtained used vehicles from automobile auctions, and then listed and advertised them for sale on the Internet. The majority of vehicles sold by Rock to victims were accessible vehicles equipped for wheelchair-users or people with disabilities. Despite signing bills of sale for the vehicles, and accepting payment, Rock did not deliver the vehicles as agreed upon. In total, Rock defrauded approximately 120 victims across 36 states, and caused losses exceeding $2.5 million. Approximately two-thirds of Rock’s victims were persons with a physical or mobility disability, persons over the age of 65, or businesses which provided transportation services to those populations.  

On several occasions, Edward Scott Rock sold the same vehicle to multiple customers. After agreeing to sale terms and accepting payment from a customer for a particular vehicle, Rock continued to list, sell, and accept payment for that same vehicle again, this time from a new victim-purchaser. In one instance, Rock agreed to sell a particular vehicle – a wheelchair-accessible 2017 Ford T150 van – to 13 different buyers over an 11-month period between February 2022 and January 2023. Despite accepting 13 payments from 13 different buyers and collecting over $260,000 all for the same vehicle, Rock only delivered the vehicle to one buyer (albeit without proper title). Rock failed to deliver the vehicle to the other 12 victims, who had all also purchased and paid for the vehicle.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 170 years’ imprisonment, a 5-year period of supervised release, a $2,750,000 fine, and restitution and forfeiture.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, Major Crimes, Auto Squad, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samuel S. Dalke.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.