The former State Senator who served Northeastern Pennsylvania for forty years has been receiving more than $11,000 dollars a month in pension benefits since he retired last year.
However last month, Mellow pleaded guilty to corruption charges as part of a plea deal with the US Attorney’s office, and on Friday the state ruled his entire retirement benefit is forfeited because of that plea.
Bob Mellow was once one of the most powerful politicians in Pennsylvania, as the democratic leader in the state senate.
However, now he’s a disgraced ex-lawmaker, heading to federal prison after his guilty plea last month on corruption charges.
Late on Friday came word that the state employee retirement system has pulled Mellow’s pension.
That means Mellow will not get the $11,000 a month pension he was expecting. The state employee retirement system ruled that Mellow’s pension is cut off, effective May 9, 2012, when he pleaded guilty.
Mellow admitted between 2006 and 2010 his state employees were used to work on his and other campaigns and that staffers were told to fudge paperwork to cover it up. Prosecutors think this could have cost taxpayers more than $100,000.
He’s scheduled to be sentenced in August. Mellow will receive one more check from the state for money he already contributed to his retirement fund.
The state ruled that neither Mellow nor his family members will be entitled to any death benefits either.
He’s the sixth prominent Harrisburg politician to plead guilty, or be convicted of corruption charges in the last two years.
