Former State Treasurer Barbara H. Hafer Sentenced To Three Years’ Probation For Making False Statements To Federal Law Enforcement Agents

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Barbara H. Hafer, age 73, former Treasurer of Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 31, 2017, to three years’ probation and a $50,000 fine by U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones, III, for making false statements to federal law enforcement agents in connection with a long-term FBI-IRS investigation of alleged pay-to-play activities involving Pennsylvania State government.  Hafer was indicted on July 20, 2016, and pleaded guilty before Judge Jones on June 9, 2017.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Hafer was interviewed by federal law enforcement agents in May 2016, regarding her relationship with Richard W. Ireland, an individual that had financial relationships with businesses that provided asset management services to the Pennsylvania Treasury Department while Hafer served as Treasurer.  After leaving office, Hafer operated a consulting firm known as Hafer and Associates, LLC, that entered into a contract with a business associated with Ireland.  During Hafer’s interview, she denied receiving any money from Ireland or any businesses he was associated with and denied receiving any help from Ireland or any businesses he was associated with in connection with her operation of Hafer and Associates.  During Hafer’s guilty plea hearing, she admitted that she lied to the federal agents during that interview because Ireland helped Hafer’s consulting business by causing $675,000 to be paid to Hafer and Associates between 2005 and 2007, an amount that was a substantial portion of Hafer and Associates’ revenue during that time period. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service. Senior Litigation Counsel Michael A. Consiglio and Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Houser, Phillip J. Caraballo and Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

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