Allentown, Pennsylvania's former controller indicted on fraud chargeHARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuters) - The former controller of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was indicted on Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, joining a growing number of officials caught up in an alleged scheme to obtain campaign donations in exchange for city contracts. Mary Ellen Koval, 64, a Democrat who was elected controller in 2011 and served until her resignation on Jan. 5, is expected to enter a plea on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Allentown, according to local news reports that quoted her lawyer.  She could receive up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the charge of conspiracy to commit “honest services” fraud. “She is a very strong, very old-school, classy lady who is, despite what has happened, doing the right thing by the city and the people in the city,” her lawyer, Eric Dowdle, told the Morning Call newspaper. Koval has an unlisted number and could not be reached for comment. Gary Strathearn, a former city finance director, pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as part of the same suspected scheme. Dale Wiles, a former assistant city solicitor, pleaded guilty in December to withholding documents from the FBI. Koval, who was also chairman of the Allentown Parking Authority, is accused of conspiring with a leading city official identified in the charging documents as “Public Official #3” to obtain campaign funds for that unnamed official in exchange for city contracts.  “Public Official #3 ... made clear to certain vendors ... that providing campaign contributions ... was a necessary condition for receiving certain favorable treatment from the City of Allentown,” according to the charging documents. The unidentified official “agreed to take official action which would be favorable to three donors who had contributed campaign funds to Public Official #3,” the documents said. Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski has not been named in any of the indictments. The Democrat announced plans in 2015 to challenge Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey but ended his campaign after the announcement of the FBI investigation. politicsNews
allentown pennsylvania former controller indicted fraud chargeharrisburg reuters the former controller allentown pennsylvania indicted wednesday charges conspiracy commit fraud joining growing number officials caught alleged scheme obtain campaign donations exchange city contracts mary ellen oval democrat elected controller served resignation expected enter plea thursday district court allentown according local news reports quoted lawyer she could receive years prison convicted charge conspiracy commit honest services fraud she strong classy lady despite happened right thing city people city lawyer eric doodle told morning call newspaper oval enlisted number could reached comment gary strathearn former city finance director pleaded guilty monday charge conspiracy commit mail wire fraud part suspected scheme dale files former assistant city solicitor pleaded guilty december withholding documents fbi oval also chairman allentown parking authority accused conspiring leading city official identified charging documents public official obtain campaign funds unnamed official exchange city contracts public official made clear certain vendors providing campaign contributions necessary condition receiving certain favorable treatment city allentown according charging documents the unidentified official agreed take official action would favorable three donors contributed campaign funds public official documents said allentown mayor ed pawlowski named indictments the democrat announced plans challenge republican senator pat boomer ended campaign announcement fbi investigation politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Allentown, Pennsylvania's former controller indicted on fraud chargeHARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuters) - The former controller of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was indicted on Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, joining a growing number of officials caught up in an alleged scheme to obtain campaign donations in exchange for city contracts. Mary Ellen Koval, 64, a Democrat who was elected controller in 2011 and served until her resignation on Jan. 5, is expected to enter a plea on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Allentown, according to local news reports that quoted her lawyer.  She could receive up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the charge of conspiracy to commit “honest services” fraud. “She is a very strong, very old-school, classy lady who is, despite what has happened, doing the right thing by the city and the people in the city,” her lawyer, Eric Dowdle, told the Morning Call newspaper. Koval has an unlisted number and could not be reached for comment. Gary Strathearn, a former city finance director, pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as part of the same suspected scheme. Dale Wiles, a former assistant city solicitor, pleaded guilty in December to withholding documents from the FBI. Koval, who was also chairman of the Allentown Parking Authority, is accused of conspiring with a leading city official identified in the charging documents as “Public Official #3” to obtain campaign funds for that unnamed official in exchange for city contracts.  “Public Official #3 ... made clear to certain vendors ... that providing campaign contributions ... was a necessary condition for receiving certain favorable treatment from the City of Allentown,” according to the charging documents. The unidentified official “agreed to take official action which would be favorable to three donors who had contributed campaign funds to Public Official #3,” the documents said. Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski has not been named in any of the indictments. The Democrat announced plans in 2015 to challenge Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey but ended his campaign after the announcement of the FBI investigation. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: allentown pennsylvania former controller indicted fraud chargeharrisburg reuters the former controller allentown pennsylvania indicted wednesday charges conspiracy commit fraud joining growing number officials caught alleged scheme obtain campaign donations exchange city contracts mary ellen oval democrat elected controller served resignation expected enter plea thursday district court allentown according local news reports quoted lawyer she could receive years prison convicted charge conspiracy commit honest services fraud she strong classy lady despite happened right thing city people city lawyer eric doodle told morning call newspaper oval enlisted number could reached comment gary strathearn former city finance director pleaded guilty monday charge conspiracy commit mail wire fraud part suspected scheme dale files former assistant city solicitor pleaded guilty december withholding documents fbi oval also chairman allentown parking authority accused conspiring leading city official identified charging documents public official obtain campaign funds unnamed official exchange city contracts public official made clear certain vendors providing campaign contributions necessary condition receiving certain favorable treatment city allentown according charging documents the unidentified official agreed take official action would favorable three donors contributed campaign funds public official documents said allentown mayor ed pawlowski named indictments the democrat announced plans challenge republican senator pat boomer ended campaign announcement fbi investigation politicsnews