Jail time in 500G fraud?
A Florida personal-injury lawyer and his wife are to be sentenced in connection with a scheme to bilk a New York venture-capital firm of nearly $500,000. Mikel Jones, who grew up with U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah in West Philadelphia, and his wife, Dona Jones, who assisted in the law firm's operations, were convicted in November by a jury of conspiracy, money laundering and wire fraud involving a $750,000 line of credit in 2006. The credit was supposed to be used for their Center City law firm's business expenses, but the feds said the money went to buy "high-end sports tickets" and to pay personal credit-card bills.
CULTURE
Rodin reopens on Parkway
After being closed for several months, the Rodin Museum will reopen Friday.
Since September 2011, the museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway has been closed for renovations to its interior and outside gardens and for collection preservation.
The museum of the famed sculptor of "The Thinker" will be open Wednesdays through Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will be closed Tuesdays.
SCHOOLS
Check out SRC meetings
The School Reform Commission will hold two public meetings this week in the auditorium at district headquarters, Broad Street near Spring Garden.
General business will be discussed at Monday's 3 p.m. session and charter-school renewals will be on the agenda for Friday's meeting at 10 a.m.
Both meetings can be seen on TV at Comcast channel 52 or Fios channel 20. They also will be streamed live at philasd.org/stream.
— Michael Hinkelman, Jan Ransom and Regina Medina
