Durham-based mobile car care company Get Spiffy and co-founder Scot Wingo are under fire from a growing list of former franchisees who say the business they bought was not what they were sold. Franchise owners in multiple states are accusing the company of fraud, negligent misrepresentation and violations of state franchise laws after investing in Spiffy’s franchise program.
According to Tampa Free Press, business owners in Maryland, South Carolina and Nebraska have brought lawsuits and mediation demands against Get Spiffy Inc., Spiffy Franchising LLC and Wingo. They claim the franchisor pushed a business model that saddled them with surprise expenses, malfunctioning equipment and minimal operational support. Those disputes are unfolding in mediation, arbitration and federal court proceedings, per the outlet’s reporting.
Maryland Complaint Includes RICO Counts
In Maryland, franchisee Ross Markajani and his company MJ Enterprise filed a complaint that includes civil RICO counts alongside several state-law causes of action. The suit alleges Spiffy projected nearly $480,000 in first-year sales for his territory while the franchise disclosure document reported average first-year sales of about $139,790, according to filings on Justia. The Maryland federal docket shows the case was filed in November 2024 and remains active, with plaintiffs pursuing both arbitration and court-based remedies.
Plaintiffs' Lawyer Frames a Pattern
The franchisees are represented by Druven PC, which announced the litigation in a May 29, 2025 press release on PR Newswire. The firm says five former franchisees are alleging a nationwide pattern of misrepresentation, inflated costs and operational breakdowns. "This goes beyond failed business promises - this is fraud on a national scale, and we're pursuing accountability," lead counsel Jeffrey Mayes is quoted as saying. The statement notes that related matters are pending before the American Arbitration Association and in federal courts.
Leadership Change and a Move Toward Fleets
The legal fight is unfolding against the backdrop of leadership turnover and a strategic shift at Spiffy. Industry coverage reported that Scot Wingo stepped down as CEO in August 2024, with co-founder Karl Murphy taking over the top role, per Auto Care Week. In recent years the company has also placed growing emphasis on fleet-focused services and software in addition to its franchise program, according to its own fleet materials on Get Spiffy’s blog.
Franchisees Say They Were Left in the Lurch
"I thought I was building a future for my family," Markajani told reporters, according to his complaint, which says he ran into launch delays, broken equipment and mounting debt after signing with Spiffy. Other owners have lodged similar allegations, and several groups have demanded mediation to untangle franchise-agreement disputes, Tampa Free Press reports.
Where the Cases Stand
The procedural maneuvering has already started. In a related matter, a Northern District of California judge granted in part a motion to compel arbitration while severing certain forum-selection clauses, illustrating how contested the road ahead could be. The order is available on Justia. Court records show that plaintiffs are pursuing a mix of mediation, arbitration and litigation in their push for damages and other relief.
What to Watch
Plaintiffs' counsel says the cases will continue to move forward and argues that the litigation could chill interest in Spiffy’s franchise offering, even as the company works to expand its fleet and software business. According to the Druven press release, the firm represents five former franchisees and says additional matters remain in mediation, arbitration or federal court. The next rounds of rulings and negotiations will determine whether these disputes wind down in settlement talks or head toward full-blown trials.
