Ex-Philly museum chief gets 15 years

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- The former president of the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Friday for stealing $1.5 million.

John Carter, who pleaded guilty, used museum credit cards to buy luxury items like flat-screen televisions, sailboats and a carriage house for his vacation home in Massachusetts, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Federal prosecutors said that even after his guilty plea he lied to the Internal Revenue Service.

U.S. District Judge R. Bradley Surrick said that he imposed a long sentence because Carter, after he knew an investigation was under way, tried to convert a museum life insurance policy to get $1 million.

The museum paid Carter $350,000 a year and provided a house in the Society Hill neighborhood rent free.

During the last five years of Carter's 17-year tenure, museum attendance fell by half and the endowment dwindled from $27 million to less than $8 million.

Pennsylvania State Sen. Vince Fumo allegedly used museum boats as his own, officials also charge. While Fumo served on the board and knew Carter, the cases are not related and the charges involving the museum are only a small part of Fumo's massive indictment.