Pa. Prosecutors: Lobbyist misused $250K in welfare grants
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has accused a Philadelphia lobbyist of illegally charging expenses to a state grant program meant to help welfare recipients land jobs.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports 62-year-old Melonease Shaw has been charged with theft, deceptive business practices and tampering with public records.
The case was filed last month and centers on her work as president and CEO of the now-defunct nonprofit Transitional Work Corp. The organization was created to provide job training and transitional employment to welfare recipients and received $32 million in grants between 2007 and 2011 — the year it shut down.
Prosecutors say Shaw misused more than $250,000 to purchase items not allowed under the grants, including health club memberships and line-dancing lessons.
Shaw didn’t immediately return calls seeking comment.
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