Harry Karafin

Harry J. Karafin (September 4, 1915 – October 23, 1973[1]) was an American investigative journalist associated with The Philadelphia Inquirer. He was a reporter at the Inquirer for 24 years (having worked his way up from copyboy, beginning in 1939[2]), and in the 1950s and 1960s was considered the paper's star reporter as well as the city's best-known journalist, known for exposing corruption (partly through privileged access to district attorney files).[3] Together with a colleague, Karafin was one of three finalists for the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Local Investigative Specialized Reporting.[4]

He was dismissed in 1967 after a Philadelphia magazine article exposed his willingness to accept payment from potential reporting subjects in order to avoid negative coverage.[5][6] Karafin was convicted on 40 counts of blackmail and corrupt solicitation in 1968[7][8] and sentenced to 4-to-9 years; he was additionally convicted of perjury in 1971 in relation to statements in the 1968 trial, with a concurrent 2- to 7-year sentence.[9] The perjury conviction was overturned by the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Harry died in prison in 1973.[10]