When Democrat Bob Casey Jr. needed money for his gubernatorial race, there was one man he couldn't do without: fund-raiser extraordinaire Robert M. Feldman.

Casey wasn't the only Feldman fan. Short and courtly, with a taste for expensive suits and power lunches at the Palm, Feldman also raised millions for other politicians, such as Gov. Rendell, Mayor Street, and former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey.

No longer. Ever since Feldman got entangled in an FBI investigation into Philadelphia corruption and another in Puerto Rico, he has lived in exile from the political world he once walked as a king.

Casey, for one, still calls Feldman "a very good friend," but takes pains to point out that Feldman is playing no role in his campaign for U.S. Senate.

Feldman has become an issue in the race anyway. Casey's opponent, Republican Sen. Rick Santorum, is airing a TV ad that, without naming Feldman, refers to him as Casey's "handpicked finance chairman" and notes he was under federal investigation.

Feldman has not been charged with any wrongdoing, and appears to remain under scrutiny only in Puerto Rico, where federal authorities are investigating his role in campaign contributions to the island's governor. Feldman has said he did nothing improper.

Although his days as a kingmaker are on hiatus, maybe permanently, a remarkably candid portrait of Feldman's dealings has emerged from a court case and FBI wiretaps of conversations with the late dealmaker Ronald White. The documents had not been previously made public.

Feldman could raise money at a fantastic clip, $25,000 to $50,000 at a time, the bulk of it from a small group of donors, reports show.

And lots of money flowed to Feldman, too, thanks to his ability to open doors. Some donors in his network paid Feldman more than $4 million in fees to get them "in front of decision makers," Feldman said in documents in a civil lawsuit.

Feldman also sought deals for himself.

In a Sept. 24, 2003, taped conversation, Feldman pressed White to cut him into a Penn's Landing redevelopment project, saying he had yet to reap rewards from his investment in Street.

"I've got nothing. I've raised a ton of money for the mayor. I'm raising right now for him," Feldman said. "Maybe I should make this my 'big ask. ' "

Feldman, 59, of Gladwyne, declined be interviewed for this article. His attorney, Henry E. Hockeimer, declined to comment.

Casey says he has worked hard to make sure his campaign contributions are proper; he says he shouldn't be criticized for Feldman's legal problems. Republicans are trying to "smear me any way they can," he says.

Casey and Rendell say they had no clue Feldman was getting paid as a consultant by donors, and they were never personally lobbied by him.

"I was never aware of it," Casey said. "I don't know about, nor should I know about, his private business ventures. "

A rapid rise

In a world where it can take years for a bit player to become a big player, Feldman seemed to come out of nowhere.

He was a high school dropout who pushed himself, earning a GED and spending almost two years at Trenton Junior College and the School of Industrial Arts (now Mercer County Community College) before leaving. He worked as an insurance broker, then in construction. Eventually, he began a managed-care dental company that sold plans to labor unions and corporations.

When it came to political fund-raising, Feldman rose quickly.