Bell City Council Officials

Judge Won't Toss Charges Against Former Bell Official Robert Rizzo

Jillian Rayfield | February 29, 2012, 1:18PM

A judge in California has dismissed several of the charges against two former Bell City Council officials, but refused to throw out any charges against Robert Rizzo, the alleged mastermind behind a scam to inflate the salaries of public officials with public funds.

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Bell, CA

Judge: Bell City Council Officials Would Just Meet For Votes To Increase Their Pay

Jillian Rayfield | December 2, 2011, 11:57AM

A judge in California rejected a motion for dismissal by former Bell City Council officials, writing that there is "ample probable cause" to believe that the officials knew they were breaking the law, or they "should have known that their conduct was illegal" when they allegedly inflated their salaries.

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Robert Rizzo

More Former Bell Officials Sue Scandalized City For Benefits

Jillian Rayfield | November 29, 2011, 3:56PM

Five former administrators for the city of Bell, California, two of whom resigned following the city's salary inflation scandal, are suing the city for pensions and benefits.

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Robert Rizzo

Another Disgraced Ex-Bell Official Sues The City For Firing Her

Jillian Rayfield | November 4, 2011, 1:05PM

Another ex-official in Bell, California is trying to squeeze money out of the city she allegedly defrauded.

Former assistant city manager Angela Spaccia is suing Bell for back pay and legal costs, arguing that the city unlawfully fired her after allegations that she had used public funds to inflate her salary.

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Bell City Council Officials

Disgraced Bell, CA Official Sues City For Not Paying Him $1.5M Salary He Allegedly Inflated

Jillian Rayfield | November 1, 2011, 12:37PM

From the department of bold moves...

Former Bell, California city manager Robert Rizzo is suing the city for stopping payment on his $1.5 million salary and benefits, which Rizzo allegedly inflated using public funds.

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Bell, CA

Disgraced Ex-Official In Scandal-Stained City Loses Parking Lot Job

Jillian Rayfield | January 18, 2011, 8:17AM

Robert Rizzo

Former Bell, CA City Administrator Robert Rizzo has lost his volunteer job as a parking attendant at the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach, because he reportedly had a "negative impact" on the museum's image.

Rizzo resigned from his Administrator job following revelations that he and several other officials allegedly used public funds to inflate their salaries. Rizzo has been charged with 53 different counts after making nearly $800,000 a year. He pleaded not guilty in October.

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Bell, CA

One Disgraced Ex-Bell Official Works As Parking Attendant, Others Ask City To Pay Legal Fees

Jillian Rayfield | January 13, 2011, 2:14PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

In the "Where Are They Now" of ex-Bell, California city officials, former Bell City Administrator Robert Rizzo is working as a parking lot attendant, and three other former officials are trying to get the city to pay their legal bills -- after they allegedly used public funds to inflate their salaries.

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Bell City Council Officials

Bell, CA Nearly Broke After Salary Inflation Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | December 21, 2010, 8:41AM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

The city of Bell, CA is nearly broke after city officials used public funds to inflate their salaries, and is now facing painful cuts to the city's budget, including possibly disbanding its police department and slashing other city services.

Some of the officials in this blue-collar Los Angeles-area city made up to $96,000 a year for part-time elected positions -- 20 times the national average for a city Bell's size. Former Bell City Administrator Robert Rizzo, who was charged with 53 different counts, made nearly $800,000 a year. Eight Bell officials pleaded not guilty to the charges in October.

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Bell City Council Officials

Audit: Salary-Inflating CA City Steered $700K In Gov't Money Without Approval

Jillian Rayfield | November 19, 2010, 1:59PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

An audit of the city of Bell by California's state controller's office was released yesterday, and found that former Bell City Administrator Robert Rizzo steered more than $700,000 in state and federal funds "to companies and at least one City Hall insider without valid contracts, competitive bids or even getting City Council approval," according to the Los Angeles Times.

Eight Bell officials pleaded not guilty in October to using public funds to inflate their salaries for part-time elected positions. Rizzo, who was charged with 53 different counts, made nearly $800,000 a year. Others made up to $96,000 a year for their part-time jobs -- 20 times the national average for a city Bell's size.

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Bell City Council Officials

Eight Bell Officials Plead Not Guilty To Inflating Salaries With Tax Dollars

Jillian Rayfield | October 21, 2010, 6:09PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

Eight former and current officials from Bell, California pleaded not guilty today to charges that they used public funds to inflate their salaries for part-time elected positions.

Some of the officials, who were arrested in September, made up to $96,000 a year for part-time jobs -- 20 times the national average. Former City Manager Robert Rizzo banked nearly $800,000 a year.

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Bell City Council Officials

Two Bell, CA Officials Resign After Salary Scandal, Third Takes Pay Cut

Jillian Rayfield | October 11, 2010, 4:49PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

Two city officials in Bell, California have stepped down from their posts, and another has agreed to take a 61 percent pay cut the Los Angeles Times reports, following a salary inflation scandal that led to the arrest of eight city officials in September.

The officials are accused of using public funds to inflate their salaries, some making up to $96,000 a year for part-time elected positions -- 20 times the national average. Former City Manager Robert Rizzo banked nearly $800,000 a year.

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California

AG Pushes For Court-Appointed Monitor For CA City Following Salary Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | October 6, 2010, 10:59AM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

California Attorney General Jerry Brown (D) has called for a court-appointed monitor to have "complete and unfettered access to all matters relating to the City" of Bell, following a salary inflation scandal that resulted in the arrest of eight city officials last month.

In a September 30 letter, Brown asked that the monitor investigate "fraud, dishonesty, incompetence, misconduct, mismanagement, or any irregularity" in the city government, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Bell, CA

District Attorney Calls Bell Scandal 'Corruption On Steroids'

Jillian Rayfield | September 21, 2010, 2:54PM

Former Bell, CA City Manager Robert Rizzo, after a March DUI arrest

In a press conference moments ago, Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley announced charges against the eight Bell, California city officials who were arrested today after they inflated their salaries, allegedly using around $5.5 million in public funds.

Former Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo, who allegedly banked close to $800,000 a year, was charged with "53 counts of misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest," according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Bell City Council Officials

CA Pension Fund Knew Of City's Inflated Salaries For Four Years

Jillian Rayfield | August 6, 2010, 3:25PM

An angry crowd at a City Council meeting in Bell, CA

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) learned that City Council officials in Bell, California were receiving ludicrously high salaries in 2006, but failed to take action, according to documents released yesterday.

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Bell, CA

County DA Expanding Probe Of Bell, CA To Include Allegations Of Voter Fraud

Jillian Rayfield | July 28, 2010, 12:56PM

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office has expanded its probe of the city of Bell, widening the investigation from a scandal over inflated salaries to include allegations of voter fraud and possible conflicts of interest involving city businesses.

Bell City Council members have taken a lot of heat this month after it was revealed that many of them had inflated their salaries to $96,000 a year for part-time elected positions, with one city staff member banking nearly $800,000 a year.

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Bell, CA

Salary Scandal In CA: Bell City Council Members Resign, Take Pay Cuts After Inflated Earnings Uncovered

Jillian Rayfield | July 27, 2010, 5:08PM

An angry crowd at the Bell, CA City Council meeting

In the wake of a major salary scandal, some City Council members in the small working-class community of Bell, California have resigned and others have announced that they will take a 90% pay cut. Many officials in the 40,000-person city near downtown L.A. were making $96,000 a year for part-time elected positions that are typically paid about 1/20 of that amount.

The revelations of inflated salaries in Bell -- where one city official banked nearly $800,000 a year -- have caused massive public outrage and triggered a review by the state's top fiscal officer.

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