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Background

The FBI has asked those with information on possible instances of job selling in public schools to contact the Scranton office at 570-344-2404

The agency issued a statement asking those with information to contact Special Agent Richard Southerton or Special Agent Joseph Noone. They are looking for teachers, prospective teachers, employees or prospective employees who were required to provide money or other things of value in connection with being hired in any public school in Northeast Pennsylvania, as well as those who believe they were denied employment for refusing to provide such payment, or anyone in the public who has knowledge of such deals.

The Scranton Resident Agency office covers the counties of Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming.

Federal Investigation of Schools

Latest Headlines

November 4, 2009

Wilkes-Barre School Director Brian Dunn to plead guilty Dec. 2

SCRANTON - The guilty plea hearing for Wilkes-Barre Area School Director Brian Dunn has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on Dec. 2 in federal court.

October 27, 2009

Hanover director pleads guilty to taking a bribe

SCRANTON – A tearful Anthony Spinozza appeared in federal court Monday morning and admitted to accepting at least $5,000 from a contractor in exchange for his influence in the awarding of a contract in the Hanover Area School District.

October 27, 2009

W-B Area’s Dunn agrees to plead guilty

SCRANTON – Wilkes-Barre Area School Director Brian Dunn on Monday agreed to plead guilty to accepting a $5,000 bribe for influencing the hiring of a teacher, ending months of speculation regarding the status of his case and his position on the school board.

October 26, 2009

W-B School Director Dunn agrees to plead guilty to accepting bribe

Wilkes-Barre Area School Director Brian Dunn has agreed to plead guilty to accepting a $5,000 bribe for his support in the hiring of a teacher within the district.

October 25, 2009

Most school incumbents won’t be returning

The federal corruption probe looms large in the November election for Luzerne County school boards.

October 22, 2009

Hanover Area member charged

HANOVER TWP. – The Hanover Area School District on Wednesday became the latest district pulled into the Luzerne County corruption probe as federal prosecutors charged board member Anthony Spinozza with accepting a bribe in exchange for influencing the awarding of a contract.

October 21, 2009

Update: Plea hearing set for Hanover School director charged with taking bribe

A Hanover Area school director charged with accepting a bribe in exchange for the awarding of a contract is scheduled to plead guilty to the charge next Monday.

October 17, 2009

Pizzella enters not guilty plea

SCRANTON – Beleaguered Wilkes-Barre Area School Board President Frank Pizzella Jr. filed a not guilty plea Friday to a charge he allegedly acted as go between in a $5,000 bribe someone paid for a teaching job in the district.

October 17, 2009

Two firms get paid for paint work

A review of Wilkes-Barre Area School Board meetings provides no explanation why Richard Emanski’s company was paid $21,677 to supervise and inspect painting at Meyers High School in 2005 and 2006.

October 16, 2009

Biz owner charged with bribing

Harveys Lake resident Richard Emanski has agreed to plead guilty to supplying and installing free carpeting in the home of a Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member in exchange for a contract benefiting his business, federal authorities announced Thursday.

October 9, 2009

Ross Scarantino gets 13 months

SCRANTON – The 81 letters written in support of Ross Scarantino failed to move a federal judge to show leniency Thursday on the former Pittston Area superintendent.

October 8, 2009

Scarantino sentenced to 13 months in federal prison

Former Pittston Area School District Superintendent Ross Scarantino was sentenced this afternoon to 13 months in federal prison for accepting a bribe in exchange for influencing the award of a contract.

September 29, 2009

Scarantino’s sentencing is postponed

SCRANTON -- The sentencing for former Pittston Area School District Superintendent Ross Scarantino has been re-scheduled for Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m. in the federal courthouse in Scranton.

September 23, 2009

Height sentencing set for Oct. 29

SCRANTON – The sentencing for former Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member James Height on charges he accepted a bribe has been scheduled for Oct. 29.

September 21, 2009

Pizzella: I'm not stepping down

PLAINS TWP. -- Stating he was elected to serve, indicted Wilkes-Barre Area School Director Frank Pizzella gave notice Monday that does not intend to step down.

September 17, 2009

W-B Area mum on charges

WILKES-BARRE – One day after seeing its third member in five months charged with corruption, Wednesday’s Wilkes-Barre Area School Board meeting was marked by the conspicuous absence of board President Frank Pizzella – indicted by a grand jury Tuesday – and the absence of any discussion of the scandal.

September 16, 2009

Feds indict W-B Area president

Frank Pizzella Jr. on Tuesday became the third Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member and the second sitting board president to be charged with corruption in five months.

September 15, 2009

W-B School Director Frank Pizzella indicted by grand jury

SCRANTON - A federal grand jury has issued an indictment against Wilkes-Barre Area School Director Frank Pizzella – the third Wilkes-Barre board member to be charged since April.

September 13, 2009

Vague contracts leave districts at risk

The Pittston Area School District faced a potentially expensive dilemma when its top executive was ensnared in the federal corruption probe of Luzerne County school districts five months ago.