Overton County Clerk Created Fake Vehicle Titles For Bank Loans In State Investigation

A State Comptroller’s Office investigation released Monday found that Overton County Clerk Victoria Looper created fake vehicle titles to obtain personal bank loans.

The reports says, “the official, working in her capacity as clerk, altered vehicle titles to improperly generate new registrations and titles.”

According to the investigation, the clerk created two titles by altering titles of vehicles that no longer exist, a 1949 Cadillac and 1979 Ford. The assets were then used as collateral to obtain $15,000 and $28,000 personal loans.

The Cadillac was actually destroyed in a fire in 2000, but the altered title showed that it was recently sold to a family member of the clerk. The clerk also altered the transaction information on the Ford.

The report says the official registered both titles with the state and used the new, false titles as collateral. During an interview with Highway Patrol and Revenue investigators, the clerk admitted to altering the titles to obtain the loans and never possessed the vehicles.

“Public officials must conduct government business with a high level of integrity,” Comptroller Jason Mumpower said in the release. “Falsifying transactions and creating erroneous tax exemptions violate state guidelines and statutes. Citizens expect their elected officials to demonstrate both personal and professional ethical conduct.”

The clerk also falsified county and state records by manipulating and/or avoiding sales tax payments by declaring vehicles as gifts. For example, the clerk sold a vehicle to a mechanic she owed money and allowed it to be registered as a gift to the buyer, according to the investigation.

Investigators found misappropriated county-owned assets as well. According to the report, the clerk removed office furniture, equipment and some flooring from the clerk’s office space without approval.

The office furniture and other equipment was then loaded into a trailer and taken to private property.

The results of this investigation have been communicated to the office of District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway. The investigation was limited to selected records for the period from July 1, 2015, through October 21, 2021.