Nearly 2 dozen victims say Gwinnett man helping women in recovery was stealing their money

SUWANEE, Ga. — Last week, Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson told you about a man who was supposed to be helping women in recovery, but was actually stealing from them.

Aaron Hayes, 53, operated what he advertised as a nonprofit called “Wheels N Recovery” out of a mechanic’s bay on Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Suwanee.

He told potential clients “Your recovery is your credit” on the path to owning a car. Clients would pay him thousands of dollars upfront and then make low monthly payments until the car was paid off. However, police say Hayes never delivered on many of his promises.

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Suwanee police say they now have 22 victims and at least $51,000 in stolen money.

One victim who spoke with Johnson said he met Hayes in 2020 when he sent him $1,200. What he says he got in return was a car that was repossessed within two weeks.

“So I called the police,” the man identified only as Christopher said. “They said that the car had a lien on the vehicle, that whoever gave it to you didn’t have the right to give it to you.”

He says that Hayes still owes him $900, but more than anything, he just wants to warn others.

“If it feels like it’s too good to be true, it most certainly is too good to be true,” Christopher said.

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In many cases, victims say they never got a car at all, and police say there may be even more victims.

“If he did it to me, I can totally believe he did it to other people,” Christopher told Johnson.

Hayes is still being held in the Gwinnett County Detention Center, but jail records show he is eligible for bond.

Anyone else who may have dealt with Hayes should call Suwanee police.

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Man who helped women in recovery across metro Atlanta get cars charged with stealing their money Aaron Hayes ran what he advertised as a nonprofit to help women in recovery get cars for low monthly payments, but all they got were excuses.

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