LOS ANGELES Five former elected officials of the tiny California city of Bell were convicted Wednesday of multiple counts of misappropriation of public funds, and a sixth defendant was cleared entirely.
Former Mayor Oscar Hernandez and co-defendants Teresa Jacobo, George Mirabal, George Cole and Victor Belo were all convicted of multiple counts and acquitted of others.
The charges against them involved paying themselves inflated salaries of up to $, a year in the city of 36, people, where one in four residents live below the poverty line. According to CBS Los Angeles, they told jurors the ex-council also served on fake boards that often convened for only minutes.
"It's something that Bell City Council members dreamed up solely for the purpose of stealing money from the people of Bell," prosecutor Edward Miller said.
An audit by the state controller's office previously found the city had illegally raised property taxes, business license fees and other sources of revenue to pay the salaries. The office ordered the money repaid.
The guilty findings were related to appointment of the defendants to the Solid Waste and Recycling Authority. The board was one of several that prosec
COLES, GEORGE, farmer, merchant, brewer, distiller, and politician, b. 20 Sept. in Prince Edward Island, son of James Coles and Sarah Tally; d. 21 Aug. in Charlottetown Royalty, P.E.I.
George Coles spent his early years on his father’s farm in Charlottetown Royalty. The Island was then at a primitive stage of development, and young George, not born into the local élite, received little formal education. At the age of 19 he went to England, where, on 14 Aug. , he married Mercy Haine, who was to bear him 12 children. Later in the same year, he returned with his bride to Prince Edward Island.
On 29 Oct. Coles advertised that he had for sale, at his father’s residence, several items, such as pipes and silverware, which he had brought back from England. By June of the following year he could announce that he had opened a “New and Cheap Store” in Charlottetown, selling imported manufactured goods and liquor. Eighteen months later he was advertising the products of a brewery and distillery which he had founded. He appears to have been successful in his new venture, for in May of he publicly thanked his patrons for their “kind and unexpected support.” A
City Of Bell Officials Arrested
Updated after the jump with arraignment time tomorrow plus more community reaction, including quotes from Bell activist Cristina Garcia. Originally posted at a.m:
By J. Patrick Coolican and Dennis Romero
In what may be an unprecedented crime sweep of sitting and former politicians and government officials in Southern California, the arrests of eight Bell officials were announced by District Attorney Steve Cooley Tuesday morning, setting off jubilation, shock &#; and possibly fear among California pols.
The surprise arrests followed a grand jury investigation of the city's salary scandal in which officials were paid exorbitantly, including a reported $ million for the alleged kingpin of the scheme, former city manager Robert Rizzo.
The defendants.; Credit: Ted Soqui
Cooley spoke of &#;calculated greed and theft&#; by the suspects, who he accused of bleeding city coffers of $ million, including pay for &#;phantom committee meetings&#; and &#;illegal personal loans.&#;
Police chief Randy Adams earned more than $, and Rizzo's deputy more than $, before they all resigned in disgrace in July. Part-time council members of the tiny cit
Ex-Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez sentenced in corruption scandal
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Former Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez has been sentenced to one year in jail and five years' probation in the city's corruption scandal.
Hernandez was convicted last year, along with former city council members Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal, of five corruption-related counts and acquitted of five others. Former Councilman George Cole was convicted of two counts and acquitted of two others, while former Councilman Victor Bello was convicted of four counts and acquitted of four others.
In a plea deal, all five pleaded no contest earlier this year to two felony counts each of misappropriation of public funds. The five were charged in September along with former City Administrator Robert Rizzo and former Assistant City Administrator Angela Spaccia.
Hernandez served with the city for eight years, including three terms as mayor. In that time, he and his co-defendants authorized huge salaries for themselves. In two years, Hernandez's salary went from $ a month to $62, a year.
In the district attorney's sentencing recommendations, Hernandez made stunning admissions earl
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