By Amaris Elliott-Engel
Of the Legal Staff
Two political consultants, including one who was formerly active in seeking to get judicial candidates elected, each have been charged with one federal count of filing a false tax return, according to two informations released Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Peter D. Truman, whose "The Truman Group" has, according to the criminal information, controlled or had great influence with 18 or 19 of Philadelphia's 69 ward leaders in backing judicial candidates, was charged with reporting $24,700 in gross receipts from his political consulting business on his 2005 tax return when he made $223,400 of additional taxable income.
Truman charged judicial candidates and other candidates fees between $5,000 and $25,000 for his services, and Fulton garnered up to $700,000 in fees from candidates between 2001 and 2007, the information said.
Truman should have paid $150,000 in taxes to the U.S. government, the information said.
Chester A. Fulton III was charged with not reporting $50,000 in gross receipts from his political consulting business on his 2005 tax return, the information said.
Fulton charged judicial candidates and other candidates fees of up to $50,000 for his services, and Fulton garnered over $500,000 in fees from candidates between 2001 and 2007, the information said.
Fulton also allegedly obtained a $2.5 million contract along with other partners to operate a homeless shelter catering to men recently released from prison, but Fulton embezzled $145,000 from his partners in that business, the information said.
Fulton should have paid $70,000 in taxes to the U.S. government, the information said.
Fulton's and Truman's attorney Mark Wilson, could not be reached immediately for comment.
Much of the influence of political consultants was diminished in the primary this past spring because Philadelphia Democratic Chairman Bob Brady strove to get party unity behind a citywide slate of judicial candidates. Five of seven candidates backed by the Democratic Central Committee secured nomination.
Of the Legal Staff
Two political consultants, including one who was formerly active in seeking to get judicial candidates elected, each have been charged with one federal count of filing a false tax return, according to two informations released Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Peter D. Truman, whose "The Truman Group" has, according to the criminal information, controlled or had great influence with 18 or 19 of Philadelphia's 69 ward leaders in backing judicial candidates, was charged with reporting $24,700 in gross receipts from his political consulting business on his 2005 tax return when he made $223,400 of additional taxable income.
Truman charged judicial candidates and other candidates fees between $5,000 and $25,000 for his services, and Fulton garnered up to $700,000 in fees from candidates between 2001 and 2007, the information said.
Truman should have paid $150,000 in taxes to the U.S. government, the information said.
Chester A. Fulton III was charged with not reporting $50,000 in gross receipts from his political consulting business on his 2005 tax return, the information said.
Fulton charged judicial candidates and other candidates fees of up to $50,000 for his services, and Fulton garnered over $500,000 in fees from candidates between 2001 and 2007, the information said.
Fulton also allegedly obtained a $2.5 million contract along with other partners to operate a homeless shelter catering to men recently released from prison, but Fulton embezzled $145,000 from his partners in that business, the information said.
Fulton should have paid $70,000 in taxes to the U.S. government, the information said.
Fulton's and Truman's attorney Mark Wilson, could not be reached immediately for comment.
Much of the influence of political consultants was diminished in the primary this past spring because Philadelphia Democratic Chairman Bob Brady strove to get party unity behind a citywide slate of judicial candidates. Five of seven candidates backed by the Democratic Central Committee secured nomination.
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