Former Pa. state Sen. Fumo returns to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - August 6, 2013 (WPVI) -- Former state senator Vince Fumo has returned to Philadelphia after spending four years in federal prison in Kentucky.

It appears the former state senator only had to check in at the Kintock Halfway House on East Erie Avenue in Juniata Park Tuesday and spent the night in his Fairmount home.

Fumo was released from federal prison in Kentucky around 9:00 a.m. Tuesday and about 11 hours later he showed up at the halfway house in a black Ford F-150.

The 70-year-old longtime political power player and Democrat walked into the Kintock Group where he's expected to finish out the rest of the sentence.

Fumo has been locked up in federal prison since his 2009 conviction for stealing $4.2 million from the state, a museum and a neighborhood improvement group.

He's paid back $3.5 million. But the IRS is seeking millions, and federal prosecutors want him to pay another $800,000 in restitution.

It's believed Fumo is still a wealthy man. In fact, after spending an hour checking in at the halfway house, he left and made his way to his 33-room mansion on Green Street in the city's Fairmount section.

"Money means everything in the political business, but money is the problem he has to cope with," said former Philadelphia City Councilman Jimmy Tayoun.

Tayoun served years in federal prison and publishes the Philadelphia Public Record.

Fumo will never serve in public office in Pennsylvania again, but Tayoun says he can still wheel and deal and influence the political arena.

"The current that will drag him into politics is very strong, because he has spent most of his life in that system," said Tayoun.

When Fumo reports back to the halfway house, he will be able to have visitors and leave for work.

The halfway house at Erie and Whitaker is privately operated by the Kintock Group. Fumo will be in the federal section, with four rooming areas. Each area has bunks and lockers for each individual, with a capacity for 400 residents.

Residents can have visitors and hold outside jobs as they prepare to re-enter society.

Fumo is slated to work for his defense lawyer, Dennis Cogan, for his work-release job, although he can no longer practice law.

His sentence is up in February.

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