The Classic Chassis cheated me out of $18,000 for a restoration that was never done Fayetteville, North Carolina

Brian Clark, who owned the now closed business, The Classic Chassis, has cheated me out of $18,000.  I hadn't heard any progress for 2 months, since April, 2011.  I went today to personally check on this progress, and my car is nowhere to be found on the lot.  I paid $18,000 to Brian Clarke in full for a complete restoration of a 1965 Mustang in 2008.  As part of my restoration, I purchased a donor 1966 Mustang to make the restoration work.  During periodic visits, I have been shown a 1966 Mustang each time. 

When I saw the car in April, it was nearly ready for final assembly and painting.  Today, my car is nowhere to be found.  The new company has been very honest about the situation, and I am waiting on the courses of action that they offer, but in the meantime, I am out the entire amount of money that I invested in good faith to someone that seems to have been used for purposes OTHER than the restoration of my vehicle.  The contract that I have indicated that the parts were in stock and the work was complete in almost all cases, but now the parts don't exist and the work doesn't appear to have been done at all.

I am curious whether anyone is pursuing legal action or class action against Brian Clarke, The Classic Chassis, or other.  I have read suggestions that there is an escrow from which I can possibly recover all, or at least some, of the money that I have lost.  I would ask for any help or assistance from anyone who has had success in such actions.  I am also interested in joining any actions that might help the many individuals, many of whom are likely to be military personnel, in getting our money back or pursuing some sort of solution to this problem.