LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A used car seller is suing two Land Rover sellers over claims they've created a conspiratorial trust to restrict competition.
Araman Nahavandifar, doing business as Luxury Motors of California, individually and for all others similarly situated, filed a class action lawsuit Dec. 2 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Don Rasmussen Co., doing business as Land Rover of Portland (LRP); Jaguar Land Rover North America (JLR); and Does 1-10; alleging violations of California's Cartwright Act and the state's unfair competition laws.
Nahavandifar purchased and sold vehicles sold by the defendants for his used vehicle company, Luxury Motors of California.
The suit states JLR has a trust with LRP that compels LRP to include in its vehicle sales an "agreement not to broker or export," to be signed by the buyer, prohibiting the buyer from selling or exporting the vehicle for one year.
The suit claims this conspiratorial agreement between the defendants is intended to create restrictions in trade or commerce.
The suit further states JLR threatens to penalize its authorized dealerships if they permit the sale or transfer of one of their vehicles within the first year of purchase.
The plaintiff and others in the class seek to recover three times the damages they've sustained as a result of the defendants' conduct, plus general and special damages, restitution, disgorgement, attorney fees and costs of the suit. They are represented by attorney Reza Sina of Sina Law Group in Burbank.
U.S. District Court of the Central District of California Case number 2:15-CV-09315-DSF-SP