Philly Treasurer Charged With Embezzlement, Citizenship Crime

PHILADELPHIA — Federal authorities have charged Philadelphia's treasurer with fraud, according to officials.

Philadelphia City Treasurer Christian Dunbar is being charged with embezzlement by a bank employee, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, and fraudulent procurement of citizenship, according to United State Attorney William McSwain's office.

Dunbar was terminated from his role as treasurer, city officials said.

According to Mayor Jim Kenney and McSwain, the charges have no connection to Dunbar's work with the city.

McSwain said before Dunbar worked in the city government, he worked at Wells Fargo where he is alleged to have stolen funds from two clients in 2015 and 2016.

He is accused of getting the clients to sign various paperwork, including blank withdrawal forms. Authorities allege he then used the blank forms to take $5,000 from one client and $10,000 from another and put the funds into his own accounts.

Additionally, McSwain said Dunbar and his wife obtained United States citizenship fraudulently through "sham marriages."

Dunbar and his wife, both of whom were not United States citizens, got married to two people who were not identified Friday back in 2006. The unidentified people were United States citizens.

McSwain said Dunbar and his wife later got married in Senegal back in 2013.

However in February 2012, Dunbar allegedly applied to become a permanent resident of the United States using his marriage to the citizen as the impetus.

His permanent status was granted that status in October 2012, and he then submitted paperwork to become a naturalized citizen in late 2015 and early 2016.

Authorities said Dunbar submitted paperwork for the process that listed him as married to the United States citizen.

He became a naturalized citizen in January 2016 and two months later he filed paperwork to divorce the United States citizen.

Kenney said he asked Inspector General Alexander DeSantis to begin a thorough review of the City Treasurer’s Office during the time of Dunbar’s employment as both Deputy Treasurer and Treasurer.

Dunbar was appointed to the treasurer role in 2019 and also serves as a Mayoral appointee and Chairman of the Philadelphia Land Bank Board of Directors among other non-governmental positions, according to the city.

The city's website says Dunbar is of Liberian descent and a descendant of Harriet Tubman. His maternal grandfather, William V.S. Tubman, served as President of the nation of Liberia for 27 years, according to the city.

First Deputy City Treasurer Jacqueline Dunn will serve as acting treasurer in the interim.

Patch has reached out to Dunbar for more information.