The retirement savings of more than 200,000 Pennsylvanians have helped enslave Christians in Sudan, build long-range missiles in Iran and smuggle automatic rifles from China to the United States. Many commonwealth employees are required to join the State Employees' Retirement System, one of the nation's oldest and largest public pension funds.
Membership is optional for others, including elected officials.
The system covers state workers from janitors to the governor, although teachers have a separate retirement system. The Trib's findings are based on congressional testimony, government documents and the reports of organizations dedicated to human rights, religious freedom and U.S. national security. Construction of missiles in Iraq and Iran that could hit targets in Israel and Europe. A 16-year campaign of genocide, including slavery, against Christians in Sudan by the country's Muslim fundamentalist military government. The guns were destined for Los Angeles street gangs, according to federal officials.