On Monday, 2007 University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government graduate William Dunbar, a key lobbyist for Philadelphia Mayor and 2016 University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government graduate Cherelle Parker, pled guilty to a six-year tax fraud scheme.
Dunbar — who graduated with a master’s degree in Government Administration — worked with Parker on her 2023 campaign for mayor. He faces a maximum of 16 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Dunbar filed a series of annual federal and state individual income tax returns containing “material falsehoods.”
The returns, filed for each of the tax years from 2019 through 2024, were made for himself and his wife through TurboTax, an online tax preparation platform. Each of the documents contained a declaration that it was made under the penalties of perjury.
“Dunbar grossly and falsely inflated the gifts to charity on both his and Person #1’s returns and grossly and falsely inflated the business expenses on his returns,” the press release read. “He did so for the purpose of evading the assessment of taxes as the false charitable gifts and business expenses eliminated, or substantially reduced, the tax liability on both his and Person #1’s returns and, in most years, generated tax refunds for them.”
The attorney’s office estimated that the resulting tax loss to the United States was between $350,000 and $750,000. Dunbar now faces two counts of tax evasion, one count of making and subscribing a false tax return, and one count of aiding and assisting the presentation of false tax returns.
A request for comment was left with Dunbar and a University spokesperson. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office declined to comment.
Brian McMonagle, Dunbar’s lawyer, told The Philadelphia Inquirer the his client “accepts full responsibility for his conduct.” He added that Dunbar “has dedicated his professional and personal life to serving his community through public service, civic leadership, and charitable engagement.”
During the 2023 Philadelphia mayoral election, Dunbar worked as an unpaid adviser. At the time, he recommended that Parker use her personal story to resonate with voters.
According to the plea agreement, Dunbar also “falsified certain terms of a lease agreement for office space” that he entered into with a “Philadelphia political campaign.” Dunbar’s political consulting firm received a series of rent payments from March to November 2024 totaling $22,850.
On Tuesday, The Inquirer reported that this campaign appears to have been Parker’s.
Prosecutors have not made any accusations that Dunbar’s actions were linked to Parker or her campaign.
Dunbar’s case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis Lappen. He will be sentenced on Jan. 11.
Staff reporter Cathy Sui covers politics and can be reached at sui@thedp.com. At Penn, she studies finance and statistics.
