Overview

• The Justice Department reached a settlement with Tony’s Auto Center for violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by auctioning a deployed Navy officer's car without a court order.
• Lt. Jonathan Liongson, whose car was sold while he was deployed aboard the USS Bunker Hill in 2022, will receive $7,500 in damages under the agreement.
• The settlement requires Tony’s Auto Center to pay a $2,000 civil penalty to the United States and implement new policies to prevent future SCRA violations.
• The SCRA mandates court approval before auctioning a servicemember’s property, a protection aimed at ensuring military personnel can focus on their duties without undue personal losses.
• Since 2011, the DOJ has secured over $481 million in relief for more than 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA.