Former City Councilman Rick Mariano, who spent four years in jail for fraud, money laundering and bribery convictions, is allowed to keep $65,436 in pension contributions — at least for now, the Commonwealth Court has ruled.

The City of Philadelphia asked its Board of Pensions and Retirement to keep the money to help offset the more than $82,000 the city paid to Saul Ewing to represent Mariano in the criminal investigation prior to his indictment.