Frank La Grotta - Conflict of Interest Legal Proceedings

Conflict of Interest Legal Proceedings

Frank LaGrotta
Born (1958-11-25) November 25, 1958 (age 54)
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Charge(s) 2 counts of conflict of interest
Penalty 6 months house arrest, probation, and fines
Conviction status probation
Occupation Pennsylvania State Representative

On November 14, 2007, LaGrotta was arraigned in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on two corruption-related felony charges, following the Attorney General's investigation into the 2006 bonus controversy. According to State Attorney General Tom Corbett, LaGrotta allegedly used his position to have his sister and niece paid over $26,000 from state funds. On December 20, he pleaded not guilty to the charges. On February 3, 2008, LaGrotta pleaded guilty to two felony counts of conflict of interest for having ghost workers on his payroll. He was sentenced to six months of house arrest, along with probation and fines. He will continue to receive his full pension of $48,000 per year, since conflict of interest convictions do not fall under the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System's list of 23 crimes that require pension forfeiture. After his guilty plea, he stopped repaying the unvouchered expenses from the 2005 legislative payraise and was refunded the amount that he had previously returned.

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