A Greenville man, Willard Timothy Sutton, was sentenced to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release for mail fraud related to a multi-year investment fraud scheme. Sutton, aged 64, pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025. He has been ordered by the court to pay $8,986,162 in restitution to his victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated, "The defendant orchestrated a complex and brazen Ponzi scheme that exploited the trust of hard-working North Carolinians, based upon his own greed." He emphasized the commitment to holding accountable those who exploit citizens for personal gain.
James C. Barnacle Jr., FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina, remarked on Sutton's operation: "Mr. Sutton ran a local business for many years... The FBI hopes today's sentence and restitution offer some sense of justice to those who trusted him."
Court documents reveal that from at least 2019 to 2023, Sutton conducted a large-scale Ponzi scheme through his business Greenville Auto World, LLC (GAW). More than 65 victims in Eastern North Carolina suffered net losses totaling approximately $9 million during this period. Investigators estimate that over $63 million was collected from investors.
GAW operated as a “buy here pay here” (BHPH) car dealership targeting customers with poor credit history by financing vehicle purchases directly through the dealership at higher interest rates than traditional loans. From around 2012 to 2023, Sutton sold BHPH finance contracts to outside investors under an investment program sponsored by GAW.
Beginning around 2019, Sutton misled investors into believing their investments were secure and backed by sufficient loan repayments from customers. However, GAW lacked the means to service these debts legitimately. To maintain appearances and delay collapse, Sutton operated a Ponzi scheme involving fraudulent loan contracts sold multiple times without investor knowledge.
In approximately 2022, facing mounting debts, Sutton solicited additional funds from investors under false pretenses of purchasing vehicles when funds were actually used to sustain the Ponzi scheme.
Daniel P. Bubar announced the sentencing conclusion while acknowledging the investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case.
