Walser Accused of Using Montana Shell Company to Avoid Taxes
Several reports indicate Edina-based Walser Automotive Group is facing criminal charges after investigators say the company avoided paying more than $350,000 in Minnesota vehicle taxes by routing new cars through a Montana shell company.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County, Walser — which operates several dealerships across the Twin Cities metro — allegedly worked with a car broker to find high-end vehicles and run the titles through Montana, where there is no vehicle sales tax.
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Broker Allegedly Helped Move Vehicles Through Montana
The complaint names William Ward of Orono, who began working with Walser in 2017. Investigators say Ward would identify vehicles he believed could be resold at a profit and approach the owners directly. In some cases, he allegedly presented himself as an independent buyer rather than as someone working on Walser’s behalf.
Once the vehicles were purchased, they were titled through a Montana-based shell company to take advantage of that state’s lack of sales tax. The vehicles were then transferred into Walser dealerships as used inventory…