Movita Johnson-Harrell, the first Muslim elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, has been charged by prosecutors for allegedly stealing over half a million dollars from a charity that helps the mentally ill.
Johnson-Harrell (D) has also been charged with perjury and tampering with public records.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) announced the charges against Johnson-Harrell on Wednesday.
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In a statement, Shapiro said that Johnson-Harrell turned herself in on Wednesday to law enforcement officials, and “is taking responsibility for her crimes, plans to plead guilty, and has agreed to resign from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives effective December 13th.”
The charges followed an in-depth investigation into her operation of a non-profit called “Motivations Education & Consultation Associates (MECA)” that she is accused of robbing blind in order to line her own pockets and live a lavish lifestyle.
“While Johnson-Harrell was lining her pockets with MECA funds, MECA’s residents were living in squalor,” Shapiro said.
She reportedly used the money to buy fur coats, fund lavish vacations and payments on a Porsche among other personal expenses.
The statement from Shapiro’s office noted just a few of the items that Johnson-Harrell allegedly spent the stolen funds on:
$5,500 on multiple fox fur coats,
$16,000 on vacations to Mexico (twice), Atlanta, and Ocean City, MD,
$2,065.95 to cover past-due Porsche payments,
$6,976 for designer clothing,
$3,000 for an overdue IRS tax bill,
$3,830 in tuition for relatives,
$3,200 to Philadelphia Gas Works,
$4,741.20 for City of Philadelphia taxes, and
$7,979.54 to cover a restitution payment for a 2014 criminal conviction where Johnson-Harrell failed to pay unemployment compensation tax.“While Johnson-Harrell was lining her pockets with MECA funds, MECA’s residents were living in squalor,” Shapiro said.
“When corruption erodes the trust that is built between governmental entities and citizens, no one wins. I’ve said time and time again as Attorney General that no one is above the law, no matter their position of power. And today is no different.” [Daily Wire]
