Movita Johnson-Harrell hired by Philadelphia Sheriff's Office

Former State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell was quietly hired last month as Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal's new spokesperson.

Why it matters: The Sheriff's Office has a history of scandals , and Bilal has faced questions about how she runs her office.

Driving the news: Johnson-Harrell, who was convicted in 2020 of stealing from a nonprofit she founded, has served as the sheriff's public information officer since August, per her LinkedIn .

• City officials refused to confirm Johnson-Harrell's start date for Axios, and the law department wouldn't disclose her salary.

The intrigue: Salary information is publicly available under state law , but the city's online portal hasn't been updated to reflect Johnson-Harrell's hiring.

What they're saying: Bilal didn't respond to Axios' requests for comment, and Johnson-Harrell hung up the phone when reached for comment.

Flashback: Johnson-Harrell, a longtime social justice activist with a large social media following , was elected during a 2019 special election as the first female Muslim member of the state Legislature.

• But she resigned from office and spent two months in prison after pleading guilty to theft and perjury.
• She was accused of taking more than $500,000 from a nonprofit she founded to help people in need and spending it on luxe vacations and clothing.

Johnson-Harrell worked as a consultant for District Attorney Larry Krasner before landing with the Sheriff's Office.