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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Man Accuses Car-Rental Business of Extortion, Planting Pot in Car

A Miami man sued Advantage Rent A Car in a Colorado state court Monday, claiming that an employee rented him a Toyota Camry at the Denver International Airport packed with 40 pounds of pot in the trunk.

DENVER (CN) – A Miami man sued Advantage Rent A Car in a Colorado state court Monday, claiming that an employee rented him a Toyota Camry at the Denver International Airport packed with 40 pounds of pot in the trunk.

When the driver Nang Thai was arrested, he said he “didn’t know what he was going to do or who was going to believe him,” according to the lawsuit filed in Denver County District Court.

According to the lawsuit, Thai flew into Denver on July 12 and rented a car from Advantage, intending to drive first to Commerce City and then to New Jersey to purchase a 2001 BMW 750il “as a birthday present to himself.”

Before being allowed to rent the car, the lawsuit alleged Advantage’s agent, Corey Morvant extorted Thai and “demanded that plaintiff pay an extra $50 directly to him or provide him, Mr. Morvant, with marijuana.”

Thai paid the additional $50, according to the complaint. After getting a few hours rest in the hotel, Thai began his cross-country road trip, posting selfies and video to his Instagram along the way.

While driving through Colby, Kansas, Thai was pulled over by a local sheriff for the car’s expired license plate tags. When a Thomas County sheriff opened the trunk, he found it packed with 40 pounds of marijuana.

Thai was arrested, but said police failed to inform him of any charges.

The next day, he said he was “mysteriously set free” without neither charges nor proper release paperwork. To add insult to injury, Thai said Advantage billed him $1,723.53 for towing expenses.

“As you can tell from the complaint what allegedly happened to Mr. Thai is very disturbing and shouldn’t happen to anyone, let alone a visitor to our great state,” said Thai’s attorney Steven Woodrow with the Denver firm Woodrow & Peluso. “We look forward to holding those responsible accountable for these actions.”

Besides shaking his faith in rental companies, the lawsuit said Thai fears “he might be falsely charged down the road with a crime he never committed.”

The lawsuit accuses Advantage of fraud, theft and fraudulent concealment.

Advantage did not respond to inquiries for comment Tuesday afternoon, nor did Cheryl Stewart, a Kansas-based attorney who provided Thai with legal advice while he was imprisoned.

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