Feds charge former Pa. treasurer in pay-to-play scheme

Former Pennsylvania Treasurer Barbara Hafer is facing federal charges in a pay-to-play investigation that authorities say also ensnared a businessman who shared in millions of dollars in treasury fees.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Harrisburg said Thursday that it charged Hafer with making false statements to federal agents.

She allegedly concealed payments of $500,000 from a businessman who shared in asset management fees paid by the Treasury Department while Hafer was in office.

The payments allegedly began within weeks of Hafer leaving office in 2005.

Prosecutors also charged suburban Philadelphia businessman Richard Ireland with 79 counts. They say he tried to bribe former Treasurer Rob McCord with over $500,000 in secret campaign contributions between 2009 and 2014.

Lawyers for Hafer and Ireland didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment.

McCord took office in 2009 and resigned from office last year before pleading guilty to attempted extortion involving campaign contributions to his failed gubernatorial campaign in 2014.