A former city clerk with the Department of Licenses and Inspections issued professional licenses to unqualified people in exchange for cash kickbacks, say the Inspector General and District Attorney.
Thomas Wright, who was fired by the city in September 2007, allegedly gave out 19 professional licenses to 12 unqualified individuals and accepted monetary bribes from those people, according to Inspector General Amy Kurland and Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams.
Wright was arrested on multiple charges Wednesday, including 12 counts of bribery.
The department of L&I issues trade licenses to plumbers, electricians and other trade professional. All license applicants are required to pass a competence test and pay a fee. None of the 12 people in question took the test, authorities say.
Wright made it appear that the applicants took and passed the tests by creating fake record in the L&I database, Kurland says in a press release.
Wright told one applicant that he would give out any kind of license and permits for plumbing and electrical contracting, even if the applicant was not qualified, as long as the applicant paid him cash, Kurland says.
Wright allegedly accepted a couple hundred dollars for each illegal license he issued.
L&I has since inspected all the improperly permitted work and determined that it meets safety standards, according to Kurland.
