MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The doors were locked, lights turned off and no one was inside Uthe Financial Services to answer the phone.
The owner was arrested.
Investigators said David Uthe was taking money from unsuspecting customers while lying about who he was and his credentials.
“I’m not sure what he was doing, but he was just running a scam,” Manuel Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said he was a victim for nearly six years.
WREG got in touch with him from his current work construction site in Marion, Arkansas.
“I presented it to my insurance, and he couldn’t produce my policy,” Rodriguez explained.
Police said Rodriguez was swindled out of $8,600.
“Oh yeah. Everybody was surprised,” Antonio Perez said.
Neighboring businesses in the Mt. Moriah Road office building said they never saw anything shady going on.
“The only thing I can tell you is he is certainly a nice guy,” a friend, who did not want to be identified, said.
“It’s a sick feeling,” Perez said. “I mean you don’t want nobody to experience that. You know?”
Investigators uncovered Uthe’s insurance license was revoked in 2009, and he was using his dead father’s name to sell policies.
“He should get the full way of the law. I mean justice has to happen,” Perez said.
Court documents indicated there may be additional victims, but the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance is not releasing additional information.
A spokesperson said disciplinary action and investigation results will be posted on its website when completed.
