Several Claims Brought Against Owner or Prestige Auto Rentals

On Friday, we reported that thirty-seven-year-old Dimas Sansorez, a medical doctor from Caye Caulker Village, is seeking legal action against businessman Amado Badillo whom he claims accepted payments from him for the purchase of a 2020 Ford Ranger pickup.  The transactions were done on the eighteenth and twentieth of April 2023, respectively, and amounted to sixty-five thousand Belize dollars.  To date, Badillo, the proprietor of Prestige Auto Sales, has been unable to deliver the vehicle that Sansorez has paid for, despite making several promises that the customer would have received the pickup truck before Christmas of last year.  In an update to that story, News Five understands that the Director of Public Prosecutions has instructed that a charge of theft be brought against Badillo since he has not been able to provide proof that he has purchased the vehicle, nor has he returned the money that he accepted from Doctor  Sansorez as payment for the vehicle.  But that is not the first time that customers of Prestige Auto Sales have felt slighted as a result of dubious transactions conducted by Badillo.  In fact, News Five has uncovered at least three claim forms for legal action brought against the auto dealer.  These forms are all public records.  On July twenty-fifth, 2023, Badillo was sued by Mariko Barrow for the outstanding balance for the sale of a Kia vehicle, legal fees, as well as interest accrued in monthly interest for late payments from April 2021 through to June 2023.  The claim amounted to roughly fifty thousand dollars, notwithstanding cost or relief from the court.  Then on November sixteenth, 2023, Badillo was once again sued by Elmer Torres for a total of fifty-two thousand, four hundred and thirty-two dollars, for the sale of two motor vehicles that were owned by the claimant.  The damages followed a breach of contract made in writing between both parties on February thirteenth, 2023.  Then on January twenty-third of this year, a claim was filed against Badillo by Sylvia Cattouse for the sale of a Toyota Highlander belonging to Cattouse.  In that case, Badillo eventually paid Cattouse the monies owed to her after three years of pursuing payment from the businessman.  We’ll continue to follow this story.