New details about a federal probe of Pennsylvania's embattled, $64 billion public school pension fund have prosecutors looking for evidence of kickbacks or bribery as they explore why the plan exaggerated investment returns and spent heavily on Harrisburg real estate.

Government subpoenas reviewed by Spotlight PA and The Inquirer demand information from the PSERS fund itself, its executive director, and at least three other senior officials. The documents lay bare the scope of the probe for the first time and show prosecutors and the FBI are investigating possible "honest services fraud" and wire fraud.

Also on the table: A possible cover-up and "benefiting from the cooperation of an insider," sources say.

THE CONTEXT: The FBI probe follows a controversial vote by the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System or PSERS board, which adopted an inflated number for its investment performance in December, months after the state treasurer questioned the math.

The swirl of scandal soon loomed large enough to demand the full attention of the system's chief investment officer, who's also the highest-paid employee of Pennsylvania government. 
 
The Inquirer reported in April that federal authorities were focused, in part, on the fund’s authorization of $14 million in spending to purchase and demolish buildings near its Harrisburg headquarters.

This week's new reporting by Spotlight PA and The Inquirer provides greater insight into the possible offenses being eyed against the backdrop of an ongoing investigation.

The pension fund is one of the nation’s largest, sending more than $6 billion in pension checks to 265,000 retired teachers and other former educators each year.

Asked about the probe, PSERS spokesperson Evelyn Williams said it would have no comment, staying silent to protect the secrecy of its own internal inquiry and the federal one. 

ELECTION RUN: At least 25 Pennsylvania elections directors left their jobs after November's "nightmare" balloting. Now, Spotlight PA reports on the crop of replacements preparing to helm this week's primaries under the hawkish gaze of skeptical Republicans and with no formal or standardized training to fall back on. "We’re not provided with a handbook or how-to guide when we start this job, which would be great," one explained.

MOVE REMAINS: Philadelphia says it has found the remains of MOVE bombing victims days after the city's top health official resigned because he ordered their disposal without notifying the family. The city says a subordinate disobeyed Dr. Thomas Farley's 2017 directive and that the remains were found in a basement office on Friday, per The Inquirer.

REPEAT OFFENDER: The Lehigh Valley-area addiction treatment center with the most violations is part of a nonprofit led by former aides to Pennsylvania governors Tom Wolf and Ed Rendell, the Morning Call reports. The revelation follows Spotlight PA reporting on dangerous gaps in Pennsylvania's oversight of the addiction treatment industry.

MASKING RULES: Pennsylvania's COVID-19 mask rule matches new federal guidance issued last week that allows fully vaccinated people to shed theirs in most cases. But that's raising questions for some businesses with their own mask rules in place. It's also raising doubts about the trustworthiness of the honor system, TribLIVE reports.

KEY VOTES: Voters in 17 Pennsylvania counties will vote for district attorneys in tomorrow's primaries. (Find out if you're one of them with a sample ballot here.) At a pivotal moment for criminal justice reform nationwide, the stakes couldn't be higher. A survey by The Appeal outlines the reform vision Pennsylvanians are taking to the ballot box.