Former Harrisburg treasurer John Campbell is facing additional criminal charges.
As released by the Office of the Dauphin County District Attorney.
January 29, 2015- The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office today filed additional charges of Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities and Theft by Unlawful Taking against John R. Campbell, of Harrisburg, for crimes committed between April 2013 and May 2014 while serving as the Executive Director of the Historic Harrisburg Association (HHA), a not-for-profit philanthropy organization in Harrisburg.
The charges stem from an investigation initiated by the District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Bureau of Charitable Organizations in August of 2014. At that time, Historic Harrisburg reported various concerns over accounting irregularities from the period that Campbell served as their Executive Director.
Investigators determined that Campbell had made 19 electronic unauthorized money transfers from accounts owned by HHA to his personal accounts, totaling approximately $11,841.22. Of those transactions, 13 were made where Campbell transferred cash advances from HHA’s credit card into HHA’s PayPal electronic bank account, where it was then transferred into Campbell’s personal PayPal, and then transferred into Campbell’s personal banking account for his own use. The remaining six (6) transactions involved direct payments from HHA’s credit card into Campbell’s personal bank account. Records revealed that the cash proceeds of the above mentioned transactions were used by Campbell for his own personal living expenses, and were unauthorized by the HHA.
The criminal complaint charges that Campbell opened a VISA credit card in the name of Historic Harrisburg, used that card to make personal unauthorized purchases for vacation and entertainment expenses, totaling $11,988.19.
On August 26th, 2014, the District Attorney’s Office charged Campbell with theft related offenses for various unauthorized checks that he wrote to himself, totaling approximately $8,781.01. On September 11, 2014, additional charges were brought for the theft of $2,750.00 from the Capitol Region Stonewall Democrats, a political action committee for which Campbell served as treasurer until early September 2014.
The new allegations of theft committed by Campbell against Historic Harrisburg total $23,829.41, bringing the aggregate total of all alleged thefts- including those previously filed- to around $35,360.42.
These charges are just allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
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From our achieves.
John Campbell releases contrition statement.
The most important thing I can say right now is that I am sorry. I am ashamed. I am regretful. I’ve made poor choices for personal reasons and that have wrongly affected those who trusted me as an employee, an elected official, a community member, an advocate, a friend, and a family member.
I apologize for the disappointment, anger and grief I have caused. Most significantly, I apologize to the members and directors of the Historic Harrisburg Association who instilled their confidence in me as a 21-year-old Executive Director five years ago. I apologize to the members and officers of the Capital Region Stonewall Democrats who reelected me to four terms as Treasurer and expected me to safeguard the organization’s financial position.
I have confessed to my wrongdoing and have fully cooperated with the authorities. As I continue to make full restitution to Historic Harrisburg and the Capital Region Stonewall Democrats and accept responsibility for my actions, I have not given up on myself. I have sought counsel from my pastor, therapist, friends, and family throughout this difficult time so that I may learn from this unfortunate situation I caused. I refuse to settle into the failure I created, for it implies that we do not learn from our mistakes. Instead I believe that new beginnings come only after our most difficult times, light after dark. It’s hard, sometimes very hard, but new beginnings, light, and learning all come in time.
Some have wondered how this lapse in my judgment could occur. I have thought long and hard about my actions and there are no excuses that can justify them nor shall I offer any. While trying to cloak my actions under a veil of college tuition, unexpected medical expenses, and burgeoning debt might be easy, these are simply symptoms of my decisions, not the causes. My lapse in judgment is ultimately my burden to bear.
Over the past year, while finishing my degree, I made damaging decisions that ultimately hurt me. More importantly, the organizations with which I have worked closely to help restore hope, faith, and trust in Harrisburg were injured. My decisions were selfish and without thought of repercussions. These decisions betrayed the trust I have worked so hard to instill and bring to Harrisburg as a young voice for change and accountability.
Historic Harrisburg is still an organization I hold closest to my values, beliefs, and vision for the future of Harrisburg. It was the organization in which I invested over five years of my life both as a board member and executive director. Together the Board and I built an organization that has become a leader within the community on issues of economic development, community building, and connecting Harrisburg’s past with its future. Just five years ago, the organization had five board members, struggled operationally, and lacked executive leadership. Today the board boasts 23 members, has experienced exponential programmatic and financial growth, and built a staff of six dedicated individuals.
While my tenure at Historic Harrisburg was filled with many successes, it now will be shrouded with doubt and confusion due to mistakes I made that hurt both the organization and me personally. I hope that my actions will not mar the reputation this organization has built.
There has been an impression---one that I fostered and encouraged---that I was a young man superbly succeeding in my ambitions, skills, and goals. Over the past eight years I put myself through both community college and undergraduate school, helped rebuild a struggling organization, reconfigured and modernized a city government office, and gave my time and resources to the community I deeply love. While I was fortunate in my accomplishments, I was also struggling with the challenges that come with aiming so high.
One of the most unfortunate consequences is that I betrayed the public’s trust. While my actions did not pertain to that of the City Treasurer’s Office, as a public official I am held to a higher standard. Of course that is why I resigned my position in the best interest of the residents of Harrisburg. My actions have far reaching consequences of betrayal and dishonesty at a time when Harrisburg needs unity, vision, and confidence. For this, I am eternally sorry to the residents of Harrisburg.
I do not expect nor wish to receive sympathy or pardon but instead ask for your compassion, grace, and forgiveness. I hope in time that those I have wronged will forgive me for my mistakes. Again I am deeply sorry for my actions and the ramifications they have had on my community.
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From the Capitol Region Stonewall Democrats web site.
HARRISBURG – September 11, 2014 – The Executive Board of Capital Region Stonewall Democrats has accepted the resignation of John Campbell as Treasurer on Thursday, September 4th. Campbell served 5 years as CRSD’s Treasurer.
The resignation was requested after discovery that a portion of CRSD’s PAC funds were misappropriated.
The Executive Board has cooperated with the District Attorney and is pursuing full repayment of the missing funds.
Chris Dietz, President of Capital Region Stonewall Democrats has said, “we plan to increase our internal checks and balances to avoid this situation in the future, so we can continue to support pro-LGBT equality Democratic candidates.”
CAPITAL REGION STONEWALL DEMOCRATS are a Political Action Committee, an organized group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens and straight allies in Pennsylvania’s Capital Region, including Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, and nearby communities.
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From our archive.
As released by the Office of the Mayor.
CITY OFFICIALS RECEIVE RESIGNATION OF TREASURER JOHN CAMPBELL
HARRISBURG – John Campbell’s resignation as treasurer for the City of Harrisburg is effective Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the request of city officials to ensure limited disruption in the city’s schedule of payments.
The City Solicitor’s office received Campbell’s official resignation Thursday morning.
Campbell’s signature as treasurer will be on checks issued through Sept. 2.
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Mayor Eric Papenfuse appointed former Harrisburg treasurer Paul Wambach to serve as interim treasurer. The City Council immediately will begin advertising for a new treasurer and application forms will be posted on the city’s website at www.harrisburgpa.gov.
Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse held a 2pm press event Tuesday to introduce interim city treasurer Paul Wambach, current city treasurer John Campbell has been charged with theft related to a non-profit organization Historic Harrisburg Association.
We fully expect John Campbell will resign.
We have not yet received a check from Light Up Harrisburg. ____________________________
As released by the Office of the Dauphin County District Attorney.
Theft charge filed against former director of Historic Harrisburg Assoc.
Tue, 08/26/2014 - 8:45am.
Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico today announced that the Criminal Investigation Division of his office today filed charges of Theft by Failure to make Required Disposition of Funds Received and a Charitable Organizations Act violation against John Campbell, age 26, of the 200 block of Boas Street, Harrisburg. The charges allege that as Executive Director of the Historic Harrisburg Association, Campbell wrote ten checks totalling over $8,000 to himself. Board members discovered the alleged theft recently when they noticed their "Light Up Harrisburg" account balance was lower than they expected. Campbell is no longer employed by HHA. The charges against him are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The charges were filed before Magisterial District Judge Barbara Pianka. Campbell is represented by attorney Adam Klein and is expected to turn himself in later this week.
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Archive video November 2011. John Campbell Victory Speech.