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Former Chopper Shop Owner Indicted by Federal Grand Jury
A Galesburg man faces charges from a federal grand jury after allegedly bilking customers of his now-former custom-built motorcycle shop out of nearly a million dollars.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Peoria has issued a statement indicating that five-counts of mail fraud, three-counts of wire fraud, and one-count of bank fraud against 40-year old Chip Miyler were filed Wednesday. Miyler was president of Mid-West Choppers from early 2001 to late 2005.

He allegedly took down payments and motorcycles in exchange for custom-built bikes from roughly 25 people, but never delivered, instead diverting the money for his own personal gain.

The U.S. Attorney says Miyler allegedly gave those customers false information about when the bikes would be done when asked, and also sold off motorcycles he had used as collateral for a 2005 bank loan.

Miyler could face as much as 30-years in prison on each count if convicted -- and officials say a summons will be issued at a later date.

Mid-West Choppers, Miyler, and his wife all filed bankruptcy in mid-October of 2005 days before new federal bankruptcy laws went into effect, and officially closed two-months later.

Miyler claimed at the time his business never recovered from an expected summer sales slump.
08 20 08 by Newsroom
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