money stolen, used for parties in philly

For every one of these stories that come out, I imagine there are ten more which will never be uncovered. Graft while the gettin's good.

Trio charged with using federal funds for parties
Tue, Aug. 09, 2005
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - Two city managers and a nonprofit director used $13,000 from a recycling program for parties, including a lavish farewell bash for one of them, according to the latest federal indictment related to City Hall corruption.

Former Streets Department Commissioner William R. Johnson, Assistant City Managing Director David B. Robinson and Mark N. Viggiano, who ran a federally funded nonprofit called "Keep Philadelphia Beautiful," were charged with conspiracy and two counts of theft in an indictment released Tuesday.

The nonprofit had a $198,000 contract with the city to develop public-education programs to improve cleanliness in the city. The three used the group's funds to pay for a March 2002 birthday party for Johnson and an August 2002 farewell party for Johnson.

"The amount of money isn't as significant as the abuse of trust by two public servants and the gatekeeper of federal funds given to the Streets Department," U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan said in a statement Tuesday.

Home telephone numbers for Johnson, 42, of Philadelphia, and Robinson, 43, of Philadelphia, could not be determined. A woman who answered the phone at Viggiano's home in Lafayette Hill said Tuesday he was unavailable for comment.