đź’˛Prosecutors say a Bucks County adjuster kept $82K meant for NJ & PA clients
đź’˛Elderly homeowners among victims left without money for critical repairs
đź’˛Authorities warn more victims may exist
BENSALEM, Pa. — A Bucks County-based insurance claims adjuster kept thousands of dollars in insurance claims meant for elderly clients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and police believe there are more victims.
Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan says Joseph Breitenbach, 53, owner of Patriot Public Adjusting, in Bensalem acted as a public adjuster on behalf of clients. As a public adjuster, Breitenbach represented the policyholder to negotiate a claim with insurance companies between September 2023 and September 2024.
Breitenbach collected at least eight checks totalling approximately $82,000 intended to pay for the repair of storm and water damage to policyholder properties, according to Khan, who said “not one red cent” was received by his clients.
$82K in claims money allegedly never reached victims
Among the four victims Khan said were ripped off by Breitenbach were:
- An elderly client from Montgomery County who never received $33,000 to repair a leak in her home
- A elderly Trenton client who was never paid $18,000 on a property damage claim,
- A Bensalem Township man was defrauded of $14,000 in storm damage claims
- A Hamilton (Mercer) woman who did not receive over $17,000.
Breitenbach was charged with numerous charges, including felony counts of insurance fraud, theft by deception, forgery and deceptive business practices…