Public Corruption Charge Filed Against Ex Nutter Admin Staffer

PHILADELPHIA – A former Philadelphia City Representative who was in power during Mayor Michael Nutter's administration is facing public corruption charges after allegedly stealing from the Fund for Philadelphia , according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Shapiro in a press conference Tuesday said former City Representative Desiree Peterkin-Bell has been charged for her alleged theft of funds during her time in Nutter's administration from 2013 to 2015.

Peterkin-Bell is criminally charged with misusing the $225,000 in City funds allocated to cover bike race expenses, which she is alleged to have used to cover debts for Welcome America ($25,000) and a Forbes with the company’s 30 Under 30 event ($200,000).

Peterkin-Bell turned herself in to authorities Tuesday morning, Shapiro said.

She is alleged to have spent money in the Fund for Philadelphia, which is a non profit set up to help push goals set by the mayor, on hundreds of Uber rides, lavish dinners, and hotel stays.

Shapiro said Peterkin-Bell's case has been referred to the city's Ethics Board.

Peterkin-Bell is the owner and operator of DPBell & Associates, a public affairs firm in Philadelphia.

"This is a case of a high ranking public official – who was charged with the stewardship and safe-keeping of taxpayer money – using the resources of her office to enrich herself and abuse the public trust," Shapiro said. "These funds were supposed to be invested in Philadelphia and programs which benefit its citizens. Instead, Desiree Peterkin-Bell funded her own lavish lifestyle: vacations, shopping, dining and entertainment; and she misused dollars earmarked for a specific purpose to satisfy unrelated debts which she helped incur, and then falsified records to cover it all up. My Office will go after this kind of corruption wherever we find it."

Patch will update the story as more information is made available.

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