Last week Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s Chief of Staff, Yarone Zober spent more than an hour and half behind closed doors testifying before a grand jury.
The news follows reports that former Pittsburgh Chief of Police, Nate Harper will plead guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion for diverting funds from unauthorized accounts. Many believe the federal investigation aims to look into all elements of Mayor Ravenstahl’s personal life.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Reporter Bobby Kerlick says Zober’s testimony is particularly notable because he serves as the chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority and manages millions of dollars of the city’s funds.
“He gets deals done for the Mayor, he runs the non-public-safety aspect of City Hall and he’s the Mayor’s right-hand man,” explains Kerlick.
Earlier this year, the FBI subpoenaed parking licenses from the city, looking for misappropriation of funds closely linked to the URA.
