Peoria Limousine Company's Shady Practices Leave Customers Stranded and Out of Pocket

Customers of a local limousine rental service in Peoria, Illinois, have reported a pattern of unfulfilled reservations, unanswered calls, and missing refunds, leaving them frustrated and out of pocket. The owner of the company, John Franks, has seemingly vanished, leaving a trail of dissatisfied customers and unanswered questions in his wake.

Betrayed Brides and Abandoned High Schoolers: The Peoria Limousine Company Saga

Brides Left Without a Ride on Their Big Day

Lily Plummer, a Washington resident, had booked a limousine with Peoria Limousine Company for her wedding day in October 2021. She paid the full $309 fee over the phone, and communication with Franks seemed consistent in the days leading up to the event. However, when the wedding party was ready for pickup, they were left waiting for half an hour before Plummer discovered that the company's phone line had been shut off. Plummer was devastated, feeling "duped" and guilty for leaving her guests stranded on her own wedding day.Plummer's experience was not an isolated incident. Other brides reached out to her after she shared her story on Facebook, reporting similar issues with Peoria Limousine Company leaving them without a ride on their special day.

High School Homecoming Disaster

Kristy Rients, a customer who rented a limousine for a group of 12 high school seniors two weeks before homecoming, had a similarly disappointing experience. She paid a total of $725 for the reservation, and the company confirmed the limo would arrive as scheduled. However, on the night of the event, no one showed up, and Rients couldn't reach anyone at the company. To make matters worse, Franks even texted Rients later that night, telling her the group didn't have to show up if they didn't want to.Rients felt terrible for the students, who were left without a ride, and for the parents who had already paid her for their portion of the reservation. She wished she had done more research on the company before booking with them, as a quick online search would have revealed numerous negative reviews.

A Trail of Dissolved LLCs and Unanswered Calls

The investigation into Peoria Limousine Company's operations revealed a concerning pattern. The company's owner, John Franks, had a history of registering and dissolving multiple LLCs, many of which had "taxi" in their names. None of these companies appear to be in good standing, and the Peoria Limousine Company's LLC was officially dissolved in 2022.Attempts to reach Franks were futile, as the primary company phone numbers were either disconnected or went unanswered. When 25News visited the publicly listed address for Peoria Limousine Company, they found the property abandoned, with stripped cars and limos left behind in a neglected lot.

Allegations of Fraud and Unpaid Debts

The investigation uncovered further troubling information about Franks' business practices. Court records showed three cases of fraud involving Franks in Tazewell County, and a formal complaint filed by PNC Bank alleging that Franks had not paid back a line of credit totaling close to $100,000 as of December 2021.One former employee, Richard Smith, shared his experience working for Franks. Smith claimed that there were frequent issues with drivers not showing up and problems with the vehicles, and that Franks had removed him from the driver assignment app and stopped paying the bills for the unit he was living in after Smith requested time off to reconnect with his daughter.

Abandoned Vehicles and Unanswered Confrontations

The investigation also revealed that Franks was still actively operating some vehicles under the Peoria Limousine Company brand, despite the company's apparent dissolution. Smith showed 25News two party buses with Peoria Limousine Company branding and expired driver registration stickers, parked at a location he said Franks was using.When 25News attempted to confront Franks' parents, who were seen dropping something off at the location, the woman in the vehicle refused to comment and drove away. The team also tried to visit Franks' and his parents' addresses, but no one answered the door.The silence from Franks and the abandoned state of the Peoria Limousine Company lot leave many unanswered questions for the former customers who were left without their money or the services they paid for.