Contractor charged with home improvement fraud; took more than $200,000 from Bucks County homeowners

A Huntingdon Valley contractor was charged Wednesday, June 1, 2022, with ripping off not less than 4 Bucks County owners of greater than $210,000 for work he by no means accomplished, and in some circumstances by no means started.

Joseph Eibell, 47, faces 4 counts every of receiving advance cost for companies and failing to carry out, misleading enterprise practices, theft by deception and receiving stolen property. The entire costs are felonies.

Eibell was arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Decide Stacy Wertman and was remanded to Bucks County Correctional Facility below $2.5 million bail.

The investigation by the Higher Southampton Township Police Division discovered that from 2019 to current, Eibell accepted superior funds for work by his Higher Southampton Township-based residence enchancment enterprise, 3 Brothers Renovation, after which didn’t carry out the represented amount of labor.

In a single case, a Bristol Township man met with Eibell in April 2019 and employed 3 Brothers Renovation to finish a number of jobs at his residence. The full value of the mission, which included a brand new roof and an addition, in addition to inside reworking, totaled $120,000.

The person paid Eibell $82,000 by a collection of deposits and advance funds made between April 2019 and September 2019. Moreover, the person paid $20,000 on to a retailer for kitchen cupboards and supplies. Nonetheless, after making the cost, Eibell redirected the funds and used them to buy supplies for different properties.

Some work was carried out on the sufferer’s residence, however nothing was accomplished, and the mission was deserted leaving the house in an unlivable situation. The harm accomplished to the house left it weak to storm harm, and when the sufferer tried to get insurance coverage compensation by 3 Brothers Renovations’ insurance coverage firm, the sufferer realized that the coverage listed with the Pennsylvania Legal professional Common’s Workplace was not legitimate.

A second sufferer, who lives in Bristol Borough, stated she met with Eibell in June 2021 and employed his firm to remediate water harm attributable to a plumbing situation. The mission would value $50,000, and she or he was required to make a deposit of $15,000, cut up into two checks.

She made the deposit, however after roughly one month with no progress on the mission, Eibell requested an extra $15,000, additionally cut up into two checks, for supplies. The home-owner paid that cash in July 2021, however the work stopped on the initiatives and the supplies she paid for by no means arrived.

She stated she made quite a few unsuccessful makes an attempt to get Eibell to repay the deposits and supply the bought supplies.

A Falls Township man stated he employed 3 Brothers Renovations in July 2021 to finish a number of renovations on his property for a complete of $90,000, to be paid in 10 installments. The person made six funds of $9,000 every, totaling $54,000.

After many excuses and delays, the mission remained incomplete and in the end the sufferer offered the property to an actual property investor who organized to finish the work. The sufferer made quite a few makes an attempt to recoup the advance funds from Eibell however was unsuccessful.

An Higher Southampton Township lady stated she employed Eibell and three Brothers Renovations in October 2021 to finish three renovations to the outside of her residence, together with stone pavers, decking and stairs. Eibell requested separate deposits for every of the three phases of the mission and an extra price for drawings and permits.

In two weeks, the lady paid Eibell $24,400 by 4 checks. Eibell cashed the checks, however no work has ever been carried out. The sufferer made a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt to get well her deposits.

The Bucks County District Legal professional’s Workplace strongly believes there are extra victims and ask anybody with details about Eibell and three Brothers Renovations to contact Higher Southampton Township Police Detective James W. Shirmer at [email protected] or the District Legal professional’s Workplace at www.bucksda.org.

The investigation discovered that Eibell additionally carried out work as 3 Brothers Waterproofing and three Brothers Exteriors and could also be related to different companies. The investigation additionally revealed that he not too long ago acquired contracts for work in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Higher Southampton Township Police Detective James W. Shirmer is the lead investigator on this case, which was referred to the Bucks County District Legal professional’s Workplace by the Bucks County Workplace of Shopper Safety. Deputy District Legal professional Alan J. Garabedian is assigned for prosecution.

Media Contact: Manuel Gamiz Jr., 215.348.6298, [email protected]

Legal costs are allegations topic to proof in court docket. Defendants are presumed harmless till confirmed responsible in a court docket of regulation.

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