Former City Workers Busted Taking Bribes To Make Taxes Go Away
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Three people employed with the city of Philadelphia have lost their jobs and face federal prison time for either accepting or soliciting bribes . They worked in the revenue department. US Attorney William McSwain said that Jarredd McQueen, 50, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Information. He was employed as a Customer Collection Representative for the City of Philadelphia’s Revenue Department when he allegedly accepted $9,000 of bribes in connection with his work. McQueen’s alleged criminal conduct began in May of 2018 and ended in November of 2018. He resigned from his employment on July 17, 2020.
Demarys Natal, 56, of Philadelphia, PA, was also charged by Information. She was employed as a Customer Collection Representative for the City of Philadelphia’s Revenue Department when she allegedly accepted $26,600 of bribes in connection with her work. Natal’s alleged criminal conduct began in February of 2018 and ended in September of 2019. She resigned from her employment on November 5, 2019.
Nicole Mixon, 44, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Indictment. She was also employed as a Customer Collection Representative for the City of Philadelphia’s Revenue Department when she allegedly accepted $22,300 of bribes in connection with her work. Mixon’s alleged criminal conduct began in November of 2019 and ended in March of 2020. She resigned from her employment yesterday.
The scheme worked like this, A person owed the city money on fees or taxes. When they arrived to settle their accounts, they were offered the opportunity to pay less money than was owed. That money would go into the pockets of one of the three defendants, who then are accused of entering into city records information showing that the bills owed were paid in full.
“Bribes and corruption must have no place in Philadelphia’s municipal government,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Corruption is an insidious disease that destroys the public’s confidence in its government, which is why we at the U.S. Attorney’s Office are so determined to root it out. Here, these three Revenue Department employees will now face the consequences of their alleged brazen and illegal acts.”
The three were caught when people who were cooperating with the FBI turned them in. If convicted, all three face a maximum of a decade in federal prison.