HARRISBURG, PA — The owner of a Pittsburgh towing company pleaded guilty to a sweeping scheme built on hidden fees, inflated invoices, and sky-high “accident services” charges that prosecutors say gouged motorists and insurance companies for years.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said Monday that Vincent G. Fannick, 57, owner of Vince’s Towing, admitted to felony theft by deception and insurance fraud, along with misdemeanor execution of documents by deception. An Allegheny County judge ordered him to pay $379,279 in restitution within 30 days to avoid jail time. Fannick is also permanently barred from working in the tow industry.
Investigators from the Attorney General’s Office and the Allegheny County Police Department uncovered what they called a pattern of predatory billing — invoices with no upfront pricing, followed by charges that soared into five figures for short-distance tows. One consumer’s insurance company was billed $11,390 for a tow the vehicle owner never even requested, including a $4,250 “accident services” fee. Other single-trip tows ran from $9,460 to $13,105; one tow of just one-third of a mile cost $9,805.
“This defendant preyed on motorists in a pinch by hiding fees and inflating prices, leaving them and their insurance carriers with enormous bills to retrieve back their vehicles,” Sunday said in announcing the plea. “The resolution gives the defendant two options — pay back what he took or go to prison.”
Authorities began investigating in 2023 after the initial complaint uncovered a trail of similar cases. Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns said the scam targeted people “during their most vulnerable moments.”
Fannick will serve five years of probation, including six months of house arrest. Beyond restitution and the industry ban, he must also participate in a public service announcement for the Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority to warn drivers about predatory towing.
State officials have intensified consumer-education efforts, including a public awareness campaign at www.knowyourtow.org.
The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section.
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