Vincent Fannick, owner of Vince's Towing in Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to predatory towing charges after an investigation exposed phantom recovery fees, fabricated charges, and bills of $9,460 to $13,105 for short tows, according to Undercoverist. Fannick was sentenced to probation with house arrest and ordered to pay full restitution.
Operator takeaway
Phantom fees and fabricated charges on invoices — every line item that cannot be documented and justified is a potential criminal count. Fannick's case is the blueprint for how prosecutors build predatory towing cases.