In April 2021, the McMinnville Police Department began receiving reports of suspected fraudulent business transactions involving Mac RV Sales and its owner Ruben Dominic Bernt.
Mac RV Sales was a retail Recreation Vehicle (RV) business, located at 4075 NE Three Mile Lane in McMinnville. The business specialized in the consignment sale of used RVs, with the majority of inventory coming from private party RV owners’ consignment selling their RVs.
Between April and October 2021, officers interviewed more than 30 victims who consigned RVs at Mac RV Sales and were never compensated for the sale of their RV. In most cases the victim reported signing a consignment agreement, later identifying that their RV sold and never receiving payment from Mac RV Sales for the sale of their RV.
During the investigation officers were able to identify that between May 2019 and August 2021, Mac RV Sales and Ruben Bernt sold approximately 30 RVs on consignment, received payment from the RV buyers and never paid the RV consignors. The total loss to the RV consignors is estimated to be more than $800,000.00.
On 04/01/22, a Yamhill County Grand Jury indicted Bernt on 27 counts of Aggravated Theft I and 3 counts of Theft I and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On 04/02/22, Bernt was arrested on the warrant and lodged at YCCF on $1,000,000.00 bail.
This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Sgt Cully Desmond at the McMinnville Police Department.
