What happened to cheetah boats

[AFTERSHOCK RACING+]

Is Cheetah still in business just wondering because I messaged them on messenger aways they make really nice boats

 

[aftershock]

Wondering the same. He used to post builds on Instagram frequently but not so much anymore.

 

[RiverDave]

Well I was wondering how long it was gonna be.

I had been keeping in touch with Kevin over the last six months and he was basically saying that he was way too trusting and the guy (Gene) from Wraith had swindled a little over 300k from them.. if he could get an investor for that much that could continue operations and pull it off. It was 500 to buy the whole company and they would either stay on as employees or whatever the new owner decided to do.

The story got a little stranger when he told me that in an act of depression him and his biz partner had gone to Vegas and gambled heavily and won a little then thought that was the way forward. You don’t need to see the future how that turned out. Apparently their was some cocaine involved there.. without getting to heavy into it, it kinda sounded like his biz partner and best friend ended up with his wife. How that shook out I dunno.. (but we will circle back to that)

I hadn’t heard from him for a bit and he basically told me he needed money by December or it’s over and he would be unable to complete orders..

I got a phone call right before I left from Mexico from a guy I think his name was Dan. He was explaining to me that Cheetah had taken large sums of money from people and they had very little if anything to show for it. Several boats fully funded by a financing company that had zero parts. He had an engine on order but it showed up in orange instead of blue with the intention of putting it in another boat. I believe he grabbed the engine and had something in writing that he would exchange it with the correct color engine when it came in? He would have to share the whole story on here I am sure I’d miss some key points.. Anyhow the picture he painted was one of wire fraud, taking people’s money spending it on cocaine and gambling and basically 400k embezzled.. . It sounded like him and at least three or four other people were going to the cops.

In the meantime Kevin Walton (circling back) has gotten into a whole different set of trouble when he picked up his kids (which he didn’t have custody of) and took off to California..

He has been arrested by the US Marshals and is being or has been extradited back to AZ. He is still in jail from what I heard at lunch today.

Havasu father arrested in California on kidnapping charges after taking children

A Lake Havasu City man was arrested in Southern California after allegedly kidnapping his two children in a custody dispute.

www.havasunews.com

This thing has gone from “well I hope they pull it off” to “well that doesn’t sound good” to “holy shit.. wtf!!”

I’m sorry to say but it sounds likely that Cheetah Boats is another defunct west coast boat mfg that left people holding the bag.

RD

 

[DWC]

That’s too bad. They were putting out some really nice looking boats. Havasu Boat manufacturers don’t have a great track record.

 

[D19]

Wow. Wasn’t Kevin a former law-enforcement officer?

 

[81Sprint]

Too bad, I bought my Stilletto from Cheetah Bob back in the day. He was a super nice guy whenever I dealt with him, sucks to see the company name go that direction

 

[JFMFG]

Holy fuck. That story is to wild to to be true . Sounds like most of these boat builders are for the streets. So in the last 12 months Wraith, Cheetah, Ultra have all dropped off the map.

 

[AFTERSHOCK RACING+]

Thanks for the update

 

[white tortilla]

 

[BingerFang]

Thats too bad his wife was a cheetah….

 

[Crazyhippy]

Thats too bad his wife was a cheetah….

She just liked being drywall screwed

 

[Gelcoater]

I heard the guys that finished up a couple of Luxe toons were going to be getting a Cheetah to finish. From what I remember they said he had a hull and not much else.
Bummer to see this going down.
Don’t know any of the current staff over there but was hoping to see them turn things around.

 

[JFMFG]

@blueflaminhot how was your experience?

 

[I Dig It !]

That sucks. These days you have to be carful with any boat transaction. I just got done with doing one on a personal level. Haven’t bought a boat in 9 years. It was a very awesome experience and there are still a few good people out there. I hate to hear stories like this in the boat industry!

 

[mbrown2]

Wow...you don't have to walk but a couple of feet into the performance boat world to get the feeling the floor beneath you can give way at any moment.

 

[77charger]

Sure seems like boat business is a shady business. Sure there’s a still some who deliver and don’t take your money and run.

But number of custom boat builders,shops and scams seems pretty high.

Have a friend who has a not being built by cheetah. Yeh he said the same thing about the Vegas trip. He ordered boat a while ago said it would be done in June I think. I joked and said more like nov dec if lucky you even get a boat. Sucks it looks true haven’t talked to him in a while. Might need to check up

 

[boatpi]

The boat business has ALWAYS SCETHCY, a few history has shown are not, not many. I would never pay 500G for that name, F that.

 

[Bpracing1127]

So the list of scammers

Wraith
Luxe
Cheetah
Ultra

Always had a bad feeling about wraith. Guys were shady imo

 

[JFMFG]

So the list of scammers

Wraith
Luxe
Cheetah
Ultra

Always had a bad feeling about wraith. Guys were shady imo

Is domn8r still kicking?

 

[mobldj]

 

[DWC]

Thats too bad his wife was a cheetah….

That’s f’g funny. Definitely in the running for post of the year.

 

[AFTERSHOCK RACING+]

Is domn8r still kicking?

Yes they are on facebook and instagram go check them out bud

 

[old rigger]

Well I was wondering how long it was gonna be.

I had been keeping in touch with Kevin over the last six months and he was basically saying that he was way too trusting and the guy (Gene) from Wraith had swindled a little over 300k from them.. if he could get an investor for that much that could continue operations and pull it off. It was 500 to buy the whole company and they would either stay on as employees or whatever the new owner decided to do.

The story got a little stranger when he told me that in an act of depression him and his biz partner had gone to Vegas and gambled heavily and won a little then thought that was the way forward. You don’t need to see the future how that turned out. Apparently their was some cocaine involved there.. without getting to heavy into it, it kinda sounded like his biz partner and best friend ended up with his wife. How that shook out I dunno.. (but we will circle back to that)

I hadn’t heard from him for a bit and he basically told me he needed money by December or it’s over and he would be unable to complete orders..

I got a phone call right before I left from Mexico from a guy I think his name was Dan. He was explaining to me that Cheetah had taken large sums of money from people and they had very little if anything to show for it. Several boats fully funded by a financing company that had zero parts. He had an engine on order but it showed up in orange instead of blue with the intention of putting it in another boat. I believe he grabbed the engine and had something in writing that he would exchange it with the correct color engine when it came in? He would have to share the whole story on here I am sure I’d miss some key points.. Anyhow the picture he painted was one of wire fraud, taking people’s money spending it on cocaine and gambling and basically 400k embezzled.. . It sounded like him and at least three or four other people were going to the cops.

In the meantime Kevin Walton (circling back) has gotten into a whole different set of trouble when he picked up his kids (which he didn’t have custody of) and took off to California..

He has been arrested by the US Marshals and is being or has been extradited back to AZ. He is still in jail from what I heard at lunch today.

Havasu father arrested in California on kidnapping charges after taking children

A Lake Havasu City man was arrested in Southern California after allegedly kidnapping his two children in a custody dispute.

www.havasunews.com

This thing has gone from “well I hope they pull it off” to “well that doesn’t sound good” to “holy shit.. wtf!!”

I’m sorry to say but it sounds likely that Cheetah Boats is another defunct west coast boat mfg that left people holding the bag.

RD

1980's all over again.

 

[28Eliminator]

Good friend worked for Kevin there for several years now. He hasnt worked since August unfortunately (obviously). Damn shame, talented guy.. was doing all the rigging on the boats.

I just got off the phone with him after reading this.

The falling out with that asshole Gene (Wraith) went down more than a year ago it seems.. Kevin seemed to be doing ok in the aftermath, but WOW.. this is some crazy shit.

Sucks.. those new wildcats were pretty nice boats.

 

[JFMFG]

Good friend worked for Kevin there for several years now. He hasnt worked since August unfortunately (obviously). Damn shame, talented guy.. was doing all the rigging on the boats.

I just got off the phone with him after reading this.

The falling out with that asshole Gene (Wraith) went down more than a year ago it seems.. Kevin seemed to be doing ok in the aftermath, but WOW.. this is some crazy shit.

Sucks.. those new wildcats were pretty nice boats.

Right? Where did that guy gene end up?

 

[riverroyal]

Wow.

 

[riverroyal]

So the list of scammers

Wraith
Luxe
Cheetah
Ultra

Always had a bad feeling about wraith. Guys were shady imo

Magic
Kowchina
Edit.

 

[mash on it]

Magic
Kowchina
Laser

Bahner?

Dan'l

 

[riverroyal]

Not sure magic swindled anyone. They just closed abruptly

 

[Singleton]

Not sure magic swindled anyone. They just closed abruptly

They swindled the flooring company (aka - banks).

 

[riverroyal]

They swindled the flooring company (aka - banks).

That's what it was....you are correct.

 

[DLC]

That is Crazy….

I just Don’t understand how that happens…
But
I’m not on drugs or that desperate….



As a General Contractor you have potential to get screwed
But
You establish boundaries and put checks / balances in place

 

[Flying_Lavey]

My brother bought his house in Acton from someone that was supposedly involved in ownership to some degree with Wraith.

I always thought a Stilleto with a new 300 or 400 would be a badass boat.

 

[DRYHEAT]

Not sure magic swindled anyone. They just closed abruptly

They swindled the flooring company (aka - banks).

They bounced their entire payroll at my little check cashing shop right before everything went down. It took a little persuasion to get our money.

 

[whiteworks]

After reading this thread is very clear to me that I live a very quiet and non exciting normal little life.

 

[AFTERSHOCK RACING+]

Good friend worked for Kevin there for several years now. He hasnt worked since August unfortunately (obviously). Damn shame, talented guy.. was doing all the rigging on the boats.

I just got off the phone with him after reading this.

The falling out with that asshole Gene (Wraith) went down more than a year ago it seems.. Kevin seemed to be doing ok in the aftermath, but WOW.. this is some crazy shit.

Sucks.. those new wildcats were pretty nice boats.

 

[hallett21]

After reading this thread is very clear to me that I live a very quiet and non exciting normal little life.

Apparently for 500k you too can live the nightmare lol.

 

[Orange Juice]

No one ever makes big money in Lake Havasu City legally .

 

[Englewood]

Let me get this straight...The company is struggling so the partners get hopped up on Tijuana nose nachos and divise a genius plan to "put it all on red" in hopes of saving their company? You literally can't make this shit up.

Netflix needs to make a documentary about the boating industry.

 

[ChrisV]

Too many crackheads

 

[NoOtherWay]

The list of boat manufacturers I would trust to give a deposit to, is about 5 maybe 6. All are high/higher end boat builders.

 

[zhandfull]

The list of boat manufacturers I would trust to give a deposit to, is about 5 maybe 6. All are high/higher end boat builders.

I might trust Seadoo or Yamaha. Leave a deposit and pick it up within a week.

 

[4Waters]

The list of boat manufacturers I would trust to give a deposit to, is about 5 maybe 6. All are high/higher end boat builders.

Eliminator
Nordic
Hallett
DCB
MTI

 

[Dannyo]

Eliminator
Nordic
Hallett
DCB
MTI

Shockwave

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Nordic/ Hallett only counts as one.

 

[Riverbottom]

Eliminator
Nordic
Hallett
DCB
MTI

Conquest
Advantage

 

[steamin rice]

Shockwave

I was going to say the same - I am biased as a 2 time Shockwave buyer, but they have been in business with the same ownership for 25+ years and I don't recall any stories about shady stuff going on with them.

 

[DRYHEAT]

I might trust Seadoo or Yamaha. Leave a deposit and pick it up within a week.

Why would you need to leave a deposit?

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

Well I was wondering how long it was gonna be.

I had been keeping in touch with Kevin over the last six months and he was basically saying that he was way too trusting and the guy (Gene) from Wraith had swindled a little over 300k from them.. if he could get an investor for that much that could continue operations and pull it off. It was 500 to buy the whole company and they would either stay on as employees or whatever the new owner decided to do.

The story got a little stranger when he told me that in an act of depression him and his biz partner had gone to Vegas and gambled heavily and won a little then thought that was the way forward. You don’t need to see the future how that turned out. Apparently their was some cocaine involved there.. without getting to heavy into it, it kinda sounded like his biz partner and best friend ended up with his wife. How that shook out I dunno.. (but we will circle back to that)

I hadn’t heard from him for a bit and he basically told me he needed money by December or it’s over and he would be unable to complete orders..

I got a phone call right before I left from Mexico from a guy I think his name was Dan. He was explaining to me that Cheetah had taken large sums of money from people and they had very little if anything to show for it. Several boats fully funded by a financing company that had zero parts. He had an engine on order but it showed up in orange instead of blue with the intention of putting it in another boat. I believe he grabbed the engine and had something in writing that he would exchange it with the correct color engine when it came in? He would have to share the whole story on here I am sure I’d miss some key points.. Anyhow the picture he painted was one of wire fraud, taking people’s money spending it on cocaine and gambling and basically 400k embezzled.. . It sounded like him and at least three or four other people were going to the cops.

In the meantime Kevin Walton (circling back) has gotten into a whole different set of trouble when he picked up his kids (which he didn’t have custody of) and took off to California..

He has been arrested by the US Marshals and is being or has been extradited back to AZ. He is still in jail from what I heard at lunch today.

Havasu father arrested in California on kidnapping charges after taking children

A Lake Havasu City man was arrested in Southern California after allegedly kidnapping his two children in a custody dispute.

www.havasunews.com

This thing has gone from “well I hope they pull it off” to “well that doesn’t sound good” to “holy shit.. wtf!!”

I’m sorry to say but it sounds likely that Cheetah Boats is another defunct west coast boat mfg that left people holding the bag.

RD

I heard the about this a few months ago also. My daughter and her boyfriend knows someone that was buying a boat from them also but I wasn’t saying anything till it came up.

 

[28Eliminator]

Right? Where did that guy gene end up?

I have no idea.. he had a nut job girlfriend (wasn’t hard to look at). We hung out with them on the lake a few times. Then my friend got into it with Gene at the shop one day and everything went south after that.