[nthfinity]

http://cbs11tv.com/consumer/Unique.P....2.642971.html

Execs Targeted In Unique Performance Investigation Charges Imminent FEATURED SLIDESHOW: Evidence From Farmers Branch 'Muscle Car' Company Reporting Stephanie Lucero FARMERS BRANCH (CBS 11 News) ― Celebrities, star athletes and wealthy business people all paid a North Texas company big money for a one-of-a-kind collectible. But police say they got scammed. In a story you will only see on cbs11tv.com, we reveal the high profile victims and the amazing twist that has the Texas Governor and federal investigators paying very close attention. A company called Unique Performance in Farmers Branch built vintage muscle cars. But now that company is in bankruptcy, leaving high profile clients out more than $39-million. Unique Performance's unique way of building those fancy Mustangs has been a secret until now. The nearly 200 victims of Unique Performance came from all over the globe. Professional athletes like Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees, the managing partner of the Boston Celtics and a royal family member from Bahrain are all victims. There's even a former Secret Service agent. James Bartee protected several U.S. presidents, but now he wonders how he could have protected himself from losing more than $100,000. Bartee gave Unique Performance $106,000 to build a 1966 Shelby Mustang GT 350. To Bartee, it would have been like reliving his younger days. "It was a youth-oriented time, you know, music, hippies, freedom," Bartee said. When Unique Performance could show him no more than a shell of a car, Bartee started to worry. He never got the car he ordered, and he hasn't seen his money either. The Texas Department of Public Service is investigating the case. "We're looking at people, the upper management of Unique Performance," said Sgt. Phillip Harris, TDPS. In November, detectives confiscated 61 cars from Unique Performance after finding the vehicle identification numbers on all of the cars had been removed or scraped off. Here's where the story takes a huge turn. The investigation led detectives to the Texas Prison System. Unique Performance used inmates to build the cars. At least 17 felons convicted of crimes such as aggravated assault, aggravated robbery and murder worked on the cars. Investigators say the inmates illegally removed the VINs from the Unique Performance cars. "We're looking at who gave the orders to remove those VIN numbers," said Harris. Unique Performance and its president, Doug Hasty, had a contract with the prison system. Inmates were paid a small wage. They were supervised, but not by prison guards or prison staff. Unique Performance employees were in charge. "I don't think the inmates did anything other than follow orders," Harris said. "As far as criminal charges, we're not looking at anything against the inmates." The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said its guards provided security, but admits prison staff never checked any of the work inmates performed, and prisoners may have been breaking the law. "We were informed by local investigators that they suspected some tampering with VINs, and so the decision was made to secure the area," said Jason Clark, a spokesperson for the TDCJ. But detectives day that's not all. The inmates who did the body work altered something else -- the body of the cars. "I think the customer out here, one thing that they don't realize, a large majority of these cars, each car had 13 gallons of Bondo," said Harris. Bondo is the brand name for an adhesive putty commonly used to repair auto bodies before they're painted. "You would never Bondo a car of this value, so that would be deceitful. That would be fraud," said Bartee. Detectives say the inmates used Bondo, fiberglass and parts from Taiwan. TDPS also said the inmates were not trained artisans, but rather unskilled and semi-skilled laborers paid less than minimum wage. "We're looking at fraud and deception charges," Harris said. Bartee said he did not know construction of the cars started in the Texas Prison System. "They never mentioned that to me. That surprises me," he said. Governor Rick Perry is aware of the investigation and told CBS 11 News changes in the prison work program may be needed. "The management has to be brought to knowledge and implement the proper program to keep those types of things from happening," Perry said. The Farmers Branch Police Department said criminal charges are imminent. Hasty's attorney, Tom Pappas, issued the following statement: Every customer that has received a car has ultimately been satisfied with the quality of the car they received. Farmers Branch Police are continuing their witch hunt. They continue to leak false accusations to the press knowing that we have not had an opportunity to have access to the cars to rebut their claims. There were no title issues or criminal problems with the titles and no one has been defrauded. We are eager to address these cases in a court of law, on the record, where people will have to be responsible for their conduct. And I'm referring specifically to the Farmers Branch Police Department. The U.S. Secret Service has also launched an investigation into this case.

Basically , Doug Hasty is going to jail for sure.