Senator’s former treasurer charged with $600K campaign theft

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania official’s campaign treasurer has been charged with stealing nearly $600,000 from the official’s campaign fund.

Michael Ellwood, of Salisbury Township, was arraigned Tuesday in Allentown on felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property during his tenure as Republican Sen. Pat Browne’s longtime campaign treasurer.

The Morning Call reports Ellwood is accused of writing 74 checks totaling $578,050 from the Citizens for Patrick Browne campaign fund to his business between May 2007 and June 2018.

The checks ranged from $5,000 to as much as $25,000.

Browne says in a statement that he was “devastated” to learn of allegations that Ellwood misappropriated funds.

Officials say Ellwood used the money to pay rent, child support taxes and other debt.

Brown says he and his staff are cooperating with investigators.