Public Adjuster Charged With Stealing $80K of Clients’ Insurance Claims Funds

The owner of Patriot Public Adjusting has been charged with misappropriating over $82,000 in insurance claim funds intended for his clients, including elderly homeowners in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Pennsylvania’s Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan said his office filed multiple felony charges against Michael Joseph Breitenbach, who was operating his business out of a residence in Bensalem Township. He faces numerous charges including felony counts of insurance fraud, theft by deception, forgery and deceptive business practices.

Authorities allege that between September 2023 and September 2024, Breitenbach acted as a public adjuster on behalf of residents in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. During this period, he allegedly received at least eight checks from major insurers, totaling approximately $82,000, but failed to distribute the necessary funds to his clients or to contractors.

In several instances, victims reported that their signatures were forged on insurance checks and that they never received “one red cent” of the payouts meant to repair storm and water damage to their properties, according to officials.

The investigation revealed at least four identified victims:

• A Bensalem Township woman was defrauded of nearly $14,000 in storm damage claims.
• An elderly victim was defrauded of over $33,000 following a leak at her home in Montgomery County.
• An elderly victim was defrauded of over $18,000 related to a property-damage claim on his property in Trenton, N.J.
• A Hamilton Township, N.J., woman was defrauded of over $17,000.

The district attorney’s office said it believes there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward and urges any people with informarion to contact the office.

Source: Bucks County District Attorney

Topics Fraud Claims