Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced today the arrest of Fares Farhat, 50, of Halifax, for running a scheme that involved certifying commercial transport vehicles as safe to travel roadways and forging state inspection stickers for the vehicles.
According to the report, Farhat, a suspended mechanic, was doing business as “A+ Auto Inspections” or “A Plus Auto Care LLC,” operating from multiple locations, including Philmont Avenue in Huntingdon Valley (Lower Moreland Township).
While under suspension, Farhat obtained counterfeit PA safety inspection stickers “in order to deceive his customers into believing that he was providing legitimate annual state and federal inspection services,” the DA said. He has been charged with 81 felony counts of Dealing in the Proceeds of Unlawful Activities, Forgery and Corrupt Organizations, as well as multiple other charges.
Pennsylvania State Police began investigating Farhat after PennDOT 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,” the DA said. “Farhat’s signature was found on the back of these stickers.”
The investigation found that he was suspended as a certified state inspection mechanic, though he continued to advertise and conduct both federal and state safety inspections. He also issued counterfeit PA safety inspection certificates/stickers and other associated documents, including federal safety inspection certificates/stickers and record of annual inspection forms to both individual commercial vehicles and entire fleets, Steele said.
The investigation also 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 were unaware that Farhat was providing them with false PA 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. Officials also discovered hundreds of additional transactions that had no notation but were sent by a trucking company or a trucking company official. Those transactions totaled $207,892 from more than 150 trucking companies.
“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. 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,” said Steele. “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 Monday, August 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, 2025, 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 11:00am on August 15. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gwendolyn Kull, Captain of the Economic Crimes Unit.
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Photo: DA