HARRISBURG — The former chief of staff to then-Gov. Ed Rendell was sentenced Thursday to a year of probation after pleading guilty last year to felony wire fraud for taking thousands of dollars from a fake company set up by the FBI in a public corruption investigation.

Prosecutors say Estey, 54, accepted $20,000 in what he thought were campaign donations he would pass along to state lawmakers to hide the company’s involvement. He made just $7,000 in donations and converted the remaining $13,000 for his own use.

Estey was ordered to pay $5,100 in fines and fees and perform 100 hours of community service.

U.S. District Judge John Jones made no mention of the $20,000 in FBI money. In a sentencing memo his lawyers filed last month, they said Estey had tried to pay all $20,000 to the court clerk, but the probation office said he could not until after sentencing.

He and his lawyers declined to discuss it after the hearing, but the U.S. attorney’s office said the plea agreement requires $13,000 in restitution.

Estey was a top aide to Rendell when Rendell was mayor of Philadelphia.