Feds charge L&I inspector with corruption

A Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspection inspector was indicted today on federal extortion charges for allegedly using his position to thwart the sale of a commercial property he wanted to buy to anyone but himself.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the indictment charges Kenneth Gassman, 45, with instigating a campaign of official harassment in an effort for force the owner of the property on the 2500 block of East Thompson Street in Port Richmond to sell to him.

The owner had rejected to offers made by Gassman, who owns other properties in and around the Fishtown section, officials said.

The indictment alleges that when the owner refused to sell, Gassman got other L&I inspectors to inspect the property and issue violations, including a bogus violation for operating an unlicensed auto repair business.

Gassman also allegedly vandalized the property, removed for sale signs, and used aliases to contact the city's 311 system with complaints that the property was unsafe.

Gassman's actions forced the owner of the property to spend money to make repairs and to contest the L&I violations.

"The citizens and taxpayers of Philadelphia deserve fair and evenhanded treatment by public officials and employees, untainted by the personal interests of those who enforce the city's commercial, building and zoning codes," U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger said in a statement. "Abusing one's public position for personal gain is illegal and cannot be tolerated."

If convicted, Gassman, who lives in Philadelphia, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release and restitution.

The Philadelphia Office of Inspector General initiated the investigation and conducted it jointly with the FBI, Memeger said.