Cachengo Lawsuit Entangles Properties, Vehicles in Ownership Dispute

Cachengo, Inc. is suing its former CEO and members of his family in federal court over what it claims was a years-long misuse of millions of dollars in company funds. This is Part Two of a multi-part series on the lawsuit, breaking down the assets, foreclosures, and competing claims now at issue.

A Cold Day in December

Attorney Stephen Hughes’ voice echoed through the largely empty corridors of the Carroll County Courthouse on Tuesday, December 30, as he conducted foreclosure auctions on two properties purchased by Cachengo under the direction of former CEO Ash Young: 19225 West Main Street in Huntingdon and 16035 Highland Drive in McKenzie.

FORECLOSURE AUCTION - Attorney Stephen Hughes reads the foreclosure notice that was published in the newspapers for three weeks before the auction. Jesse Joseph/Carroll County Observer

These are just two of the properties that the former Cachengo CEO purchased.

Between 2017 and 2025, Young signed around 25 deeds for properties across Carroll County, according to public records. All of those transactions used owner financing rather than traditional bank loans.

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Ten of those properties are deeded in Young’s name and not Cachengo’s, though the company alleges that Young used company funds to make the purchases.

Multiple sellers said payments tied to many of the properties stopped in recent months. The timeframe they provided coincided with the period when Cachengo employees reported missed paychecks and the company acknowledged a lack of operating cash.

The property sellers told the Carroll County Observer that payments ceased around September, prompting them to begin foreclosure proceedings.

Others said they are preparing similar filings but have not yet moved forward.

Those foreclosure efforts now intersect with a federal lawsuit filed by Cachengo on December 29, which seeks a court declaration that many of the properties titled in Young’s name belong to the company.

In the complaint, Cachengo alleges that at least eight properties in Carroll County, along with one in Alabama, were acquired using company money but titled in the personal names of Ash Young or Ash and Janae Young (his wife).

The company is asking the court to declare Cachengo the rightful owner and to block transfers while the case is pending.

Properties in Question

9575 Highway 22 South, Huntingdon:

PRIMARY RESIDENCE - Ash Young purchased the old Miller estate on Highway 22 in 2017. It serves as the family's primary residence, as well as the location of a hobby farm, according to the lawsuit. Jesse Joseph/Carroll County Observer

This property served as the Young family’s primary residence and hobby farm, according to the lawsuit. The complaint says the company paid a $50,000 down payment toward the purchase and financed an original loan of approximately $635,000. Cachengo states the remaining balance is approximately $166,000 and that the company also paid ongoing expenses including utilities, insurance, property taxes, maintenance, livestock costs, and farm equipment.

1255 Industrial Drive, Huntingdon:

This property served as the location of Equestrian by Cachengo, an equestrian center that offered horse-related activities, lessons, and events. It has since allegedly been shut down after the Youngs’ removal from Cachengo.

EQUESTRIAN BY CACHENGO - The property at 1255 Industrial Drive once housed horses and served Cachengo's equestrian endeavors. Jesse Joseph/Carroll County Observer

In the lawsuit, Cachengo states it paid an $18,250 down payment and financed a loan originally totaling approximately $340,000. The complaint alleges a remaining balance of about $190,000, along with company-funded utilities, taxes, insurance, and maintenance.

Other Properties:

Cachengo alleges it funded nearly $253,000 in down payments on several other properties that were ultimately titled in the personal names of Ash Young or members of his family.

Those properties include 18225 W. Main Street, 19175 W. Main Street, and 19230 W. Main Street in Huntingdon; 1930 Northwood Drive; approximately 68 acres of land on Northwood Drive; and 15900 Highway 77.

Altogether, the lawsuit alleges approximately $789,000 remains outstanding on loans tied to the Carroll County properties alone.

In addition to loan payments, Cachengo claims it paid ongoing costs across the properties, including utilities, insurance, taxes, maintenance, and upkeep, despite the properties being titled outside the company.

Additionally, the complaint names a property at 12350 Magnolia Avenue in Magnolia Springs, Alabama, which it alleges is titled jointly to Ash Young, Janae Young, and extended family members.

While specific loan figures are not detailed for that property, Cachengo alleges company funds were used in connection with the purchase and is seeking a court declaration establishing company ownership.

Federal tax liens

Separate from Cachengo’s lawsuit, federal records show that the Internal Revenue Service has filed several tax liens against properties titled in Ash Young’s name.

A Form 669-B obtained by the Carroll County Observer shows that Internal Revenue Service asserts that “Ashlee M. Young, listed at 9575 Highway 22 South in Huntingdon, is indebted to the United States for unpaid federal income taxes totaling $756,894.63.”

The filing references four separate federal tax lien assessments, with recorded amounts of $672,994.26, $49,340.28, $26,688.81, and $34,560.09, each tied to different recording dates and lien serial numbers.

Those federal tax liens are not mentioned in Cachengo’s complaint but attach to properties titled in Young’s name and may take legal priority over private claims, including seller-financed mortgages and pending foreclosure actions.

Vehicles in Question

In addition to real estate, the lawsuit alleges that Cachengo funds were used to purchase, finance, insure, and maintain a number of vehicles that were titled in the personal names of Ash Young, Janae Young, or both.

According to the complaint, Cachengo made down payments and monthly loan payments on the vehicles, along with insurance and other associated costs, despite the vehicles being titled outside the company.

Cachengo is seeking a court order declaring the company the rightful owner of the vehicles and awarding possession through replevin.

The vehicles listed in the lawsuit include a 2018 Porsche Panamera; a 1988 Sunw trailer; Ford Broncos from model years 2022, 2023, and 2024; a 2020 home trailer; a 2022 Ford Explorer; a 2016 Ford F-250 and a 2014 Ford F-350; a 2020 Lincoln Navigator; a 2019 Ford Mustang; a 2021 Ford F-250 pickup; a 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid; a 2024 Ford Expedition; and a 2025 Dodge Ram truck.

The complaint alleges the vehicles were used for both personal and business purposes, but were titled in personal names rather than in Cachengo’s name. Cachengo claims this prevented the company from exercising control over assets it paid for and exposed it to financial risk while allowing the defendants to retain possession.

Outside of the lawsuit, sources told the Observer that one or more of the vehicles listed in the complaint may have been sold or otherwise disposed of. Those claims are not addressed in the lawsuit, however.

What’s Next?

The overlapping claims now facing several properties, including seller-financed mortgages, federal tax liens, and Cachengo’s request for court-ordered ownership declarations, could significantly complicate foreclosure efforts for property sellers.

Several sellers told the Observer they are seeking to reclaim properties after payments stopped.

One of the sellers, who decided to remain anonymous said they relied on the property payments for income.

“If they (Cachengo or the Youngs) are not going to pay me, I’d at least like to have my property back,” the seller said.

The pending federal lawsuit may delay or pause those foreclosure efforts if the court issues orders restricting the sale or transfer of disputed properties.

Additionally, under federal law, IRS liens can take priority over many private claims, meaning proceeds from any foreclosure or sale could be subject to federal collection before sellers recover what they are owed.

Property sellers, lenders, and taxing authorities may all be forced to wait for the federal court to determine ownership and priority before any assets can be liquidated or transferred.

At the time of this writing, no court dates had been set, and no responses had been filed by the defendants.

Part Three will shift from property to purchases, detailing the personal spending Cachengo says was paid for with company funds.

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Cachengo Lawsuit Entangles Properties, Vehicles in Ownership Dispute – Part 2

Cachengo Lawsuit and Whistle-blower Investigation Details Spending During Missed Payroll – Part Three

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