The Kingfish shook the lawsuit tree and hot diggity damn, yet another lawsuit against The Vault and its owner, Jerry "J.D." Pass fell to the ground. The Vault sells classic cars on consignment. The Georgia plaintiff joins a growing list of plaintiffs who accuse The Vault of selling the cars without permission and keeping the money.
Michael Cooper of Atlanta, Georgia sued The Vault and Pass on May 4 in U.S. District Court alleging breach of contract, conversion, and fraud, false pretenses, and intentional misrepresentation.
Cooper entered into a consignment sales agreement with The Vault in August 2025 to sell his 1953 Chevrolet 3100 Deluxe truck. The contract set the minimum sales price at $85,000.
The complaint alleges the defendants misrepresented to Cooper at the end of 2025 the truck had not been sold.
In fact, the Antique Truck had already been sold at a Vicari auction held in connection with Crusin' the Coast on October 11, 2025, to Richard Jermaine McNair for a final bid of $64,000, significantly below the Sales Agreement Minimum Net Sales Price. A true and correct copy of the Bill of Sale dated October 11, 2025, is attached hereto as Exhibit ""2'' and incorporated herein by reference.
Indeed, The Vault's website states the truck was sold.
Pass allegedly approached Cooper with the $64,000 offer on October 16, 2025 (five days after the sale) but Cooper rejected it in writing.
The complaint accuses the defendants of keeping the money from the sale and never remitting it to Cooper.
Unaware the The Vault sold his truck, Cooper demanded return of the truck on January 1, 2026 , the day after the contract expired. The Vault's website still featured the truck for sale. However, the defendants allegedly told Cooper a sale was pending.
Cooper repeatedly tried to get his money from the defendants after he found out the truck was sold but his efforts bore. no fruit. The plaintiff sent a demand letter in April but
18. TheVault and Mr. Pass failed to remit the amount demanded, instead tendering on April 21, 2026, a check payable on the checking account of TheVault for $53,175.00 as "settlement" for the alleged $60,000 sale of the Antique Truck. On the same date, Mr. Cooper rejected the tendered payment as based on false pretenses and pursuant to his rights to enforce the Sales Agreement.
The plaintiff claims the defendants owe $85,000 less the 10% sales commission ($6,400).
Attorney Kristina Johnson of Jones Walker represents the plaintiff. Michael Heilman, Esq. represents the defendant. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate and Magistrate LaKeysha Greer-Isaac.
A bevy of lawsuits have been filed against Pass and his company making similar allegations: The Vault contracted to sell cars on consignment and either kept the money from the sales or kept the vehicles:
* Sheila Jenkins sued the defendants in 2024. The Vault was supposed to sell three cars for her, including a 1957 Ford Thunderbird. The Vault allegedly sold the cars without her consent and kept the money. The case is pending in Hinds County Circuit Court. Earlier post.
* Susan Vukovich sued Pass and The Vault in Rankin County Circuit Court in February. The complaint states The Vault consigned to sell five Corvettes (1963-1967). The defendants allegedly sold the cars and pocketed the money from the sales. The case is pending. Earlier post.
* Jo Ann Bailey sued The Vault and Pass in Hinds County Circuit Court in April. Bailey contracted with the defendants to sell her late husband's car collection. The collection included Ferraris, Corvettes, and Lamborghinis. The complaint accuses the defendants of either selling the cars and keeping the sales proceeds or keeping the cars without returning them to Bailey. The case is pending.
* Timothy and Michele Fant, owners of Taste Italian Kitchen, sued Pass in Rankin County Circuit Court in June. The Fants loaned Pass $1 million a year earlier on a six month note but Pass allegedly stiffed them when repayment was due. Earlier post.
13 comments:
Surely one of these victims can get a DA to investigate and file criminal charges. Maybe that will get his attention.
DA and Capitol Police need complaints filed first.
If he sells a car he doesn't have permission to sell, how is that not grand theft? Have him arrested for stealing your car. Let jury sort it out.
Criminally it would be embezzlement because he had lawful possession. Civilly the equivalent is conversion.
The plaintiff will be lucky to live long enough for Wingate to render a decision.
What a literal piece of shit. The sad thing is there is probably nothing to get for the plaintiffs. If he actually owns anything, it is probably hocked to the hilt. Screwing over Mrs. Bailey, a 90ish year-old recent widow, is the lowest of low.
Wingate will figure out how to delay his own funeral.
If the plaintiffs still hold lawful title to the vehicles, seems they were at least mis-represented in the sales of them & That outta be against some law someplace where they can demand law enforcement to have their vehicles returned to them...
I would not doubt there's language in the agreement giving him permission to conduct his brand of business -- but he'll file bankruptcy soon, wait a few years, maybe move to another state, and start his snakeoil salesman routine again. That $1M loan might get him though.
Again, victims need to file complaints. Often when police don't do something like this it's because a victim has not come forward and signed a criminal complaint.
Some people collect sports memorabilia or cars.
It apperars this guy collects angry people and lawsuits!
I wonder how many cars are still on consignment at The Vault? I would expect the sheriff to be down there directing traffic for people picking up their cars. Place should be empty by now.
He did a bankruptcy back in 2017 here in Jackson. Wasn’t on this scale of fraud however.
Post a Comment