A Pennsylvania mechanic was arrested and faces numerous charges related to allegedly forging state inspection stickers for vehicles that did not pass inspections.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele earlier this week announced the arrest of Fares Farhat, 50, of Halifax, Pennsylvania., on 81 felony counts of Dealing in the Proceeds of Unlawful Activities, Forgery and Corrupt Organizations as well as multiple other charges related to a scheme that involved certifying commercial transport vehicles as safe to travel roadways and forging state inspection stickers for the vehicles.
Pennsylvania State Police began investigating Farhat after Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials and troopers observed safety inspection stickers that were missing security features, the serial numbers of authorized inspection stations and other abnormalities. These counterfeit safety inspection stickers were found on commercial vehicles that had severe mechanical deficiencies, including worn or separating brake pads and other conditions that would have made them inoperable under Pennsylvania and federal law and taken them out of service and off the roadways, according to a statement from Steele. Farhat’s signature was found on the back of these stickers.
Investigators learned Farhat was suspended as a certified state inspection mechanic, which prevented him from legally inspecting any vehicle and certifying their safety by issuing Pennsylvania state inspection stickers to commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) throughout the commonwealth. Despite these suspensions, Steele said Farhat continued to advertise and conduct both federal and state safety inspections and issued counterfeit Pennsylvania safety inspection certificates/stickers and other associated documents inclduing federal safety inspection certificates/stickers and record of annual inspection forms to both individual commercial vehicles as well as entire fleets.
Steele said Farhat was doing business as “A+ Auto Inspections” or “A Plus Auto Care LLC,” operating from multiple locations, including Philmont Avenue in Huntingdon Valley in Montgomery County and Torresdale Avenue in Philadelphia. While under suspension and unable to obtain authentic inspection stickers, Farhat obtained counterfeited ones in order to deceive his customers into believing that he was providing legitimate annual state and federal inspection services, Steele's statement said.
The investigation found that Farhat would accept payment for these illicit inspections, stickers, and forms via Zelle or in cash with individual amounts between $150 and $250 per vehicle. Many of his customers, most of whom were motor carrier companies or their officers, were unaware that Farhat was not providing them with authentic Pennsylvania inspection stickers, federal annual inspection stickers and a record of annual inspection form.
A review of Farhat’s Zelle account found hundreds of transactions with notations of “inspection services,” “inspection” or “sticker” that totaled $76,185. In addition, there were hundreds of additional transactions that had no notation but were sent by a trucking company or a trucking company official and were similar in payment amounts between $150 and $250. Those transactions totaled $207,892. More than 150 trucking companies had paid for services from Farhat.
“The defendant’s actions are a danger to not only Pennsylvanians but every driver where these trucks, tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles are operating," said Steele. "He deemed them safe to operate and provided forged state and federal papers saying so, when, in fact, they aren’t safe and should be taken out of service. Sadly, we have seen first-hand in Montgomery County the tragedy that can result when a 32,000-pound dump truck is on the road when it shouldn’t be and a crash occurs—lives are lost.”
Farhat was arrested on Aug. 4, on charges of Dealing in the Proceeds of Unlawful Activities, Forgery, Corrupt Organization, Deceptive Business Practices—Altered Goods, Theft by Deception, Fabricate Physical Evidence, Unsworn Falsification to Authorities, Altered/Forged/Counterfeit Documents or Plates and related charges.
He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy, who set bail at $50,000 cash. A bail review hearing was held Aug. 5, in the Court of Common Pleas before Senior Judge William P. Mahon, who increased Farhat’s bail to $99,000 cash.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m., Aug. 15, before Magisterial District Judge Thomas P. Murt.
