Mayor's Daughter Profits from Sale of Discounted City Vehicles: Investigation

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【Summary】Lakeside town mayor sold town vehicles at discounted prices to his daughter, who then resold them at a higher price for profit. The mayor sold a Ford Fusion for $1,000, which was later sold for $12,000, and a Chevrolet Tahoe for $300, later sold for $7,000. The mayor claims he had no knowledge of the sales prices and blames his daughter. Investigation underway regarding the mayor appointing family members to senior positions in the town.

FutureCar Staff Sep 20, 2023 4:17 PM PT

Mayor's Daughter Profits from Sale of Discounted City Vehicles: Investigation

A mayor in a small town is facing scrutiny after an investigation revealed that he sold cars from the town fleet to his daughter at discounted prices, who then resold them for a profit. The mayor of Lakeside, Colorado, allegedly sold two cars to his daughter, who was also employed as a town clerk at the time.

According to a report from local CBS News outlets, the mayor sold the cars for significantly less than their actual value. The report states that Lakeside Mayor Robert Gordanier sold a 2013 Ford Fusion to his daughter, Brenda Hamilton, for only $1,000.

A resident from Wyoming claims to have seen the same car listed for sale at a much higher price. CBS reports that the buyer traveled from Wyoming to Colorado and purchased the former town car for $12,000.

Another questionable transaction occurred between Gordanier and Hamilton involving an old Chevrolet Tahoe SUV previously owned by Lakeside authorities. CBS News discovered a bill of sale from September 2022, showing that Gordanier sold the town-owned vehicle to his daughter for $300. A man in Thornton later bought the SUV from Brenda Hamilton for $7,000 in cash and stated that it was a good deal with no issues.

Interestingly, the Lakeside mayor claims to have had no knowledge of the prices the cars were sold for and is placing the blame on his daughter for the low prices. He alleges that he signed blank forms and someone else filled in the sales prices, suggesting that it must have been his daughter. When questioned about the sales, Hamilton refused to speak on camera and denied buying the Ford Fusion for $1,000 and the Chevy Tahoe for $300.

In an attempt to minimize her profits from the car sales, Hamilton claims to have purchased a Dodge Charger for $9,500 using her own money and gave it to the town. The entire situation is now under investigation, including the mayor's decision to appoint family members to senior positions in the town. The town representative stated that no further comments will be made until the investigation is concluded.