Michael Fleck Gets 5 Years for Allentown-Reading Bribery Scheme

Michael Fleck, 40, of Allentown, PA, was sentenced to five years in federal prison Monday for orchestrating a pay-to-play bribery scheme that corrupted officials in Allentown and Reading. Fleck, a political consultant and co-owner of an Allentown-based campaign services firm, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion and bribery, along with tax evasion. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Juan R. Sanchez imposed the sentence, which includes three years of supervised release and $134,487 in restitution. Fleck was immediately remanded into federal custody.

Fleck used his consulting business to broker illicit deals between business clients seeking municipal contracts and elected officials he advised. Among those ensnared were Mayor Edwin Pawlowski of Allentown, Mayor Vaughn Spencer of Reading, and Allentown Controller Mary Ellen Koval—all of whom were Fleck’s political clients. Each leveraged their public authority to solicit campaign contributions in exchange for influence over city contracts, creating a rigged system that bypassed fair competition and defrauded taxpayers.

The scheme involved quid pro quo arrangements where tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations flowed from contractors to Fleck’s political clients in return for favorable treatment. Fleck acted as the middleman, coordinating solicitations and ensuring contributions were funneled through legal-looking channels. The manipulation of campaign finance systems allowed the conspirators to cloak bribery as legitimate political fundraising, undermining public trust in local governance.

In parallel, Fleck committed serious tax crimes. He filed fraudulent returns for 2011, 2012, and 2013, hiding approximately $130,897.41 in income from his consulting business. He inflated deductions and failed to pay roughly $43,467 in payroll taxes, resulting in a total tax loss of about $77,738. These actions weren’t oversight—they were deliberate efforts to evade federal tax obligations while profiting from corruption.

“Fleck manipulated our democratic systems of government to enrich himself and his associates at the expense of the citizens of Reading and Allentown,” said Deputy U.S. Attorney Louis D. Lappen. “In doing so, Fleck and the corrupt mayors with whom he conspired did tremendous damage to the confidence that our citizens have in their local governments. Our Office remains committed to uncovering and prosecuting public corruption at all levels. Public officials and their cronies should start getting the message that they must serve the public rather than satisfy themselves and their venal desires.”

IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Guy Ficco emphasized the gravity of the tax violations: “Compliance with the tax laws in the United States relies heavily on self-assessments of taxes owed. Michael Fleck took steps to prevent the assessment of his true tax liability; and the sentence he received shows how seriously the courts take federal tax crimes like this.” The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Morgan and Anthony Wzorek.