PHILADELPHIA, P.A. — Justin Heimbach, 33, of Bath, Pennsylvania, has been indicted on charges of mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with schemes to defraud the federal government and several local car dealerships, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced.
Heimbach, who operated a construction company known as TeamKJ Construction, is accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that exploited the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which was established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020. The PUA program was intended to provide unemployment benefits to individuals who were not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the indictment, Heimbach caused fraudulent PUA applications to be submitted in the names of individuals who were purportedly no longer employed by TeamKJ Construction due to COVID-19. These applications allegedly contained materially false statements, including claims that the applicants had lost their jobs with TeamKJ as a result of the pandemic and the specific dates of job loss.
In addition to the fraudulent PUA claims, the indictment alleges that Heimbach defrauded multiple car dealerships in the Lehigh Valley by purchasing vehicles in the names of other construction companies registered to or associated with him. He is accused of writing checks for these vehicles from bank accounts that were either closed or did not have sufficient funds to cover the transactions.
Heimbach faces serious legal consequences if convicted. The charges of mail fraud and wire fraud carry a maximum possible sentence of 200 years in prison.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts of federal authorities to prosecute those who attempt to exploit relief programs designed to assist individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
