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<p>Luzerne County&#8217;s tax claim office overseer &#8212; Northeast Revenue Service, LLC &#8212; was among several entities that had their records examined as part of an ongoing FBI probe in the Lehigh Valley.</p><p>The FBI issued a subpoena last month seeking numerous records at Allentown City Hall for an investigation reportedly focusing on pay-to-play allegations involving campaign donations and public contracts.</p><p>Investigators sought billing records and all documentation regarding efforts to obtain contracts for 28 individuals and companies, including Northeast Revenue, which handles tax collection services for Allentown through a contract partnering with the firm Friedman Schuman.</p><p>The subpoena also covered payment records for Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski.</p><p>Published reports indicated the probe may stem at least in part from information obtained through political consultant Mike Fleck, who previously was Pawlowski&#8217;s campaign adviser.</p><p>The FBI also subpoenaed records at Reading City Hall, and Fleck had served as Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer&#8217;s campaign adviser.</p><p>Northeast Revenue was among several companies or individuals listed on both the Allentown and Reading subpoenas seeking records. Company head John Rodgers, a Wilkes-Barre attorney, also was named in the Reading subpoena.</p><p>Northeast Revenue does not perform work in Reading.</p><p>Investigators have not charged or accused Northeast Revenue or other companies named in the subpoenas of wrongdoing.</p><p>Rodgers said Thursday his only knowledge of the situation is what he&#8217;s read in published reports. He said his company responded to a request-for-proposals to handle collection work in Allentown and was selected based on its experience and success in other jurisdictions.</p><p>&#8220;At all times we acted in an ethical and legal manner,&#8221; Rodgers said.</p><p>Rodgers had donated thousands of dollars to the Jenkintown-based Pennsylvania Liberty Fund political action committee, which in turn had donated thousands to Pawlowski. Rodgers said he did not control or select what donations were made by the committee.</p><p>Northeast Revenue has been running Luzerne County&#8217;s tax claim office and back-tax auctions since May 2010, when previous county officials opted to privatize the operation to reduce general-fund operating expenses and improve collections.</p><p>County officials renewed the contract last year.</p><p>Northeast Revenue has been credited with turning around the office, which had been criticized for not enforcing mandates and allowing some politically connected defaulters to keep their properties out of auctions with no legal justification.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Rodgers </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Rodgers-John1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Rodgers </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County’s tax claim office overseer’s records examined as part of an FBI probe in Lehigh Valley