Alleged ticket-fixer indicted in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA – A former city official fixed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of parking tickets for politicians and other well-connected people in exchange for money, food, liquor and political favors, an indictment issued Wednesday alleges.

A federal grand jury accused Joseph F. Hoffman Jr., former head of Philadelphia’s Bureau of Administrative Adjudication, of improperly dismissing tickets or reducing fines for a long list of public officials, ward leaders, business owners and political committee members .

U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan said evidence indicated Hoffman probably was continuing an illicit practice “that has likely existed in secret for years,” but he said that did not excuse the behavior.

“When politicians see no difference between fixing a pothole and fixing a ticket, the whole system goes sour,” he said. He described the bureau, which had the power to dismiss tickets issued improperly, as a “morass” and part of a “culture of corruption” in the city.

Hoffman, 48, was indicted on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and extortion.

The indictment gave the titles of at least 15 people who allegedly had tickets fixed by Hoffman, but did not name them. None has been charged.

The federal grand jury also indicted a well-known defense attorney, Charles P. Mirarchi II, on fraud charges. He is accused of acting as Hoffman’s “bagman” in the alleged scheme.

Prosecutors said Mirarchi accepted several thousand dollars in payments from an unnamed person who wanted $47,121 in tickets dismissed, then split the cash with Hoffman. A businessman who owns city taxis, Menachem Reibenbach, was also charged with extortion and fraud, accused of helping Hoffman solicit the alleged bribe.