A Norfolk car dealership has been added to the off-limits list for all Hampton Roads service members after it allegedly engaged in unethical business practices that impacted sailors.
Icon Motor Sports, at 2400 E. Indian River Road, is accused of misrepresenting itself as a free driver safety course, coercing service members without a driver’s license to buy a car, denying refunds on deposits for defective cars in the thousands of dollars, making false promises that they would resale a used car which led to service members having to make payments on two used cars, and engaging in bird-dogging on the base — an unlicensed person charging a fee to refer customers to a dealership.
The off-limits list is maintained by the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board, with the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic as its sponsoring commander. The list applies to members of the Air and Space Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard. It is meant to protect service members from illegal and unethical business practices within 75 miles of Norfolk.
In a region like Hampton Roads, with about 85,000 active duty service members and 18 Department of Defense installations, being put on the list can greatly impact a business’s bottom line.
“Icon Motor Sports’ unethical business practices unfairly targets junior service members and takes advantage of their limited financial understanding or ability to walk away from a negotiation,” the Navy said in a news release.
Icon Motor Sports was administratively barred from Naval Station Norfolk and all Navy Region Mid-Atlantic installations Aug. 18 after the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board initially learned of the alleged unethical business practices. The dealership is the latest addition to the off-limits list out of 12 other businesses.
Businesses that have drawn multiple reports of unethical practices will typically receive a warning letter, and the board will work with them to avoid being put on the list. Manuel Thomas, coordinator for the board’s Norfolk-based region, told The Virginian-Pilot in February that 95% of businesses cooperate.
After a business has been added to the list, they have to inform the board in writing that they have corrected the issue in order to be considered for removal.
It’s unclear how many service members were directly impacted by Icon Motor Sports’ alleged unethical practices.
The other businesses on the off-limits list are:
- 7 City’s Custom & Design, 1062 37th St., Norfolk
- 7 City’s Custom & Design, 117 E. Princess Anne Road, Norfolk
- Autoworks, 6100 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk
- D Motors, 881 E. Little Creek Road, Norfolk
- Best Price Auto Sales AKA US Auto Excellence, 3336 Holland Road, Virginia Beach
- Mellow Smoke Tobacco Shop, 201 E. Berkley Ave., Ste. C, Norfolk
- Outer Edge Gifts, 760-B J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News
- Prime Auto AKA Skyline Auto, 4114 E. Indian River Road, Chesapeake
- The Vault, 389 W. 21st St., Norfolk
- The Vault, 15435-B Warwick Blvd., Newport News
- The Vault, 731 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News
- TKYU Bar, 1910 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach
Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, [email protected]