In April 2024, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed suit against Midwest Car Search, a used car dealership in Fridley, Minnesota. The complaint lays out a pattern of conduct that's worth knowing about — because it touches on practices that aren't unique to this one dealer.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The AG's complaint against Midwest Car Search includes several distinct accusations:
False "certified" labeling. The dealership sold vehicles as certified when they had not undergone any legitimate certification inspection. More than 3,000 vehicles were sold under this pretense. Customers paid a premium based on a certification that existed only on paper.
Unauthorized service contracts. The dealership added approximately $4.5 million in service contracts to purchase agreements without customers' knowledge or consent. These charges appeared in the fine print of financing documents — contracts that buyers signed without understanding what they were agreeing to.
The "Coches MN" scheme. Midwest Car Search ran Spanish-language advertising under the name "Coches MN" — a name that was never registered as a legal business entity in Minnesota. Latino customers were targeted through a separate marketing channel that used a different name, different branding, and in some cases, different representations about the vehicles being sold.
"Running a separate, unregistered operation specifically to reach Spanish-speaking buyers isn't just a paperwork problem — it's a way of insulating predatory practices from accountability."
Why the Unregistered Business Name Matters
When a business operates under an unregistered name, customers have limited ability to look it up, verify its standing, or connect it to complaints filed under the registered business name. It makes it harder to research, harder to report, and harder to warn others.
This is the kind of structural deception that regulatory action is designed to address.
First Action Under Minnesota's Updated Used Car Law
The Ellison lawsuit was notable as one of the first enforcement actions under Minnesota's updated Used Car Dealer law, which strengthened protections around disclosure requirements, prohibited practices, and enforcement tools available to the AG's office.
What This Means for Car Buyers
This case is a reminder that:
- The word "certified" has no guaranteed meaning unless it's backed by a manufacturer program
- Service contracts added to a deal should be explicitly identified and agreed to — not buried
- Targeted advertising in another language doesn't change your legal rights, but it can create an information gap that's hard to close after the fact
If you're buying a used car — in Minnesota or anywhere — run your own vehicle history, get an independent inspection, and read every document before you sign. EthicalMechanic.org covers what certified pre-owned actually requires and how to verify it before you commit.
If you've dealt with Midwest Car Search and believe you were affected, the Minnesota AG's office is accepting complaints through their consumer services division.