Ex-Boyfriend Parks Junk Car in Her Name at Airport – 3 Years Later She Owes $105,000 in Fines!
Hell hath no fury like a scorned Chicago man armed with a truly diabolical — and hilariously petty — revenge plot. After his breakup, he turned a cheap junker into a six-figure financial nightmare for his ex, all without lifting a finger after the initial setup. The saga began back in 2008, when Brandon Preveau (who worked for United Airlines at the time) purchased a beat-up 1999 purple Chevrolet Monte Carlo for around $600 from his then-girlfriend Jennifer Fitzgerald’s own uncle. He used his tax refund for the buy and, crucially, registered the title solely in Jennifer’s name — even though he was the main (and pretty much only) driver.
Jennifer reportedly had no direct involvement in the purchase or registration process.Fast-forward to November 2009: the relationship implodes, and Brandon decides to go full nuclear on the pettiness scale. He drives the dilapidated car straight to the employee parking lot at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (a secure, restricted area accessible via his job), parks it in a spot… and simply walks away. Never returns. Never moves it. Leaves it to rot.For almost three years (roughly 2.5–3 years depending on exact timelines), the abandoned Monte Carlo sat untouched in the same spot, slowly deteriorating into a certified hazard. Airport authorities began issuing violation after violation: citations for being dilapidated/hazardous, overstaying the 30-day limit, illegal parking, abandoned vehicle status — you name it. A staggering 678 tickets accumulated because the car wasn’t promptly towed from the employee lot.By the time it was finally removed (towed by the city in April 2012), the total fines had skyrocketed to a mind-blowing $105,761.80 — making it the single highest parking fine total ever recorded for one vehicle in Chicago history at that point.The brutal twist? Every single ticket landed in Jennifer Fitzgerald’s name as the registered owner.
She had zero knowledge the car was even at O’Hare, let alone racking up insane debt. As an unemployed single mother at the time, she suddenly faced:Her driver’s license suspended Her name topping Chicago’s “worst scofflaws” list Aggressive debt collectors hounding her for over $100,000 Complete shock and financial devastation Jennifer refused to go down without a fight. She hired an attorney (who took the case pro bono), filed a civil lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend Brandon Preveau, the City of Chicago, and even United Airlines (arguing the airline and city should’ve removed the vehicle far sooner per their own rules and prevented the fines from ballooning so ridiculously).After a drawn-out legal battle and significant media attention, a settlement was finally reached in August 2013:The City of Chicago agreed to slash the bill dramatically, dropping nearly $100,000 in fines. Jennifer was left responsible for just $4,470 total. Brandon Preveau had to pay an upfront $1,600 toward it. Jennifer agreed to cover the remaining balance in affordable monthly payments of about $78 over time.
The outrageous case even led Chicago to review and tighten some airport parking enforcement policies to stop similar abandoned-vehicle time bombs from exploding in the future.So, was this peak genius-level revenge — calculated, low-effort, high-impact pettiness that hit where it hurts without direct confrontation? Or was it straight-up chaotic, spiteful malice that ultimately backfired (since he still ended up paying some, faced a lawsuit, and became internet infamous)?Either way, it’s cemented as one of the most legendary breakup revenge stories online — a wild reminder to never let an angry ex anywhere near your vehicle title! What’s your take — masterstroke of vengeance or total over-the-top disaster? Let me know! 29 web pages
