Rizzo faces 53 counts; Bell was 'corruption on steroids,' D.A. Cooley says [Updated]

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley filed charges against eight current and former Bell officials Tuesday, alleging that they misappropriated $5.5 million in public funds. Robert Rizzo, Bell's former city manager, has been charged with 53 counts of misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest.

The charges come after a dramatic morning in which authorities swept through Bell and other cities, arresting former and current Bell officials.

Among those arrested were Rizzo; Angela Spaccia, former assistant city manager; Mayor Oscar Hernandez; councilmembers George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo and Luis Artiga; and former councilmembers George Cole and Victor Bello.

"This is corruption on steroids," Cooley said. 

[Updated at 11:28 a.m.: Cooley said officials used the city's tax dollars "as their own piggy bank that they then looted at will."

He said that councilmembers, who earned salaries of nearly $100,000, received $1.2 million for "phantom meetings" -- many which never occurred or lasted only a minute or two.  

Police Chief Randy Adams, who also stepped down after The Times reported he was earning $457,000, was not arrested.

"Being paid excessive amounts is not a crime," Cooley said, noting that the investigation is ongoing.

Bail for Rizzo has been set at $3.2 million. Bail for the others ranges from $130,000 to $377,500.]

Rizzo, whose high salary sparked the outrage that led to the investigations of the city, was among those arrested in the sweep. At 10 a.m., officials emerged from Rizzo's luxury home in Huntington Beach. Rizzo, handcuffed, was escorted into a black SUV. 

In Bell, a neighbor of Hernandez said authorities used a battering ram on his front door after he failed to answer the door.

"They broke the door down," said the neighbor, who only gave his name as Jose. "They knocked down the door and they brought him out in cuffs."

The city of Bell released a statement about the arrests, calling it a "sad day" for the city.

“Given the sheer volume of charges levied against former Bell Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo and former Assistant CAO Angela Spaccia by the district attorney, it is clear that Rizzo and Spaccia were at the root of the cancer that has afflicted the City of Bell. Also, it is a sad day for Bell that four current and two former members of the council also have been arrested. I am prepared to double down our efforts to continue to restore order, establish good government reforms, and to ensure that Bell is providing needed services to its residents,” said Pedro Carrillo, interim city manager.

Outside City Hall, about two dozen residents gathered as news of the arrests spread. One man used a bullhorn to broadcast the Queen song, "Another One Bites the Dust." Members of the crowd laughed and applauded, happy to see arrests in the scandal.

For two months, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office and state and federal authorities have investigated Bell, where high salaries earned by Rizzo and other top officials have sparked widespread outrage. The Times reported last month that Rizzo was set to earn more than $1.5 million in 2010. Additionally, he gave loans totaling $1.6 million to more than 50 city officials, including himself.

-- Jack Leonard, Jeff Gottlieb, Ruben Vives and Richard Winton

Credit: Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley announces the arrests of eight current and former Bell city officials. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

Photos: Arrests in Bell

Comments

[Ted Edwards]

Battering ram for non-viloent offenses = cops on steroids or testosterone runneth over.

[Enjoy your new stable!]

Today is a victory for all the decent and hardworking people of Bell who tried to petition their government but were not only turned away but intimidated.

Today is a victory for Jane Doe who had more than her rights violated by the now imprisoned Bell Police Department officer. And it also a victory for other women who may have been violated but never came forward out of fear and love for they're families.

Today is also a victory for all those who were towed for dollars by the Bell Police and Maywood Police Department.

Today is also a victory for all those that have been wrongly illegally taxed.

As for Carrillo, he's sounding like Bagdad Bob.

In case, you haven't noticed, this isn't a casino. "Double-down?" Did you come up with that, or did you pay someone for that line.

Didn't you work for Rizzo? Didn't you work for Cole? You had your chance to "DOUBLE-DOWN" and instead you defended the salaries and got promoted and a contract by the now incarcerated council.

"Cut your losses." And take Kenny Rodgers advice: "there's a time to hold them, there's a time walk away and there's a time to run."

Putting your running shoes on playa'

[Hypatia]

Interesting! I was just going to call Cooley's office to congratulate him on scooping up these shameless crooks --- when I noticed that - hmmm --- the (overpaid) police Chief Adams was not arrested.

"Being paid excessive amounts is not a crime," Cooley said, noting that the investigation is ongoing.

Oh? I thought...uh, well, I don't want to get in the way of a beautiful friendship. But this might just come up if/when Cooley runs for re-election.

As someone else pointed out, former Chief Parks is happily double, or is it triple, dipping. One hand washes the other...

[fernanda]

the reason why the chief officer was notaressted is because he does not give himself the paycheck he was not the one stealing money the city theirfore gives him and he has no power towards that whatsover. It is not because he is a cop.

[Thomas Razo]

Thank you LA Times for breaking this story!!!! Journalism at it's best!!

But for real, why wasn't the police cheif arrested? He could not have been that clean.

[Greg]

Its not a crime to be the highest paid "Upholder of the Law" in Los Angeles County in such a small area like the size of Bell? Adams knew his salary was wrong. The other police chiefs and citizens know it was extreme. Something is fishy for Cooley to not go after the top Law Enforcement Officer in Bell.

Great job LATimes staff! This is exactly why the people of Bell need (we all need) the media to keep these guys in check. So glad I just renewed my subscription! Can't we all just give a little more to the LATimes or to an equivalent paper in our neighborhoods.

Now let's fight the corruption on our public lands of Marina del Rey.

[Pete]

"I am prepared to double down our efforts to continue to restore order, establish good government reforms, and to ensure that Bell is providing needed services to its residents,” said Pedro Carrillo, interim city manager.

An unfortunate choice of a phrase from a casino denizen . . .

[S.Tan]

Oh Al's eye, how condescending of you.

Just because the 'spin' is written in plain letters, doesn't mean the stories been explained.

You're right, being paid is not a crime..but there is pattern here of corruption..or hadn't you noticed.
You don't think Bell's Chief of police was involved?

All this goes to show really is that fraud is neverending. If it's not one end, it's the other biting our behind.
This whole world is falling down around us and we're finding out just how fake our whole society is and how powerless we are.

So sad...

[What You Taking About Willis?]

On Tuesday, September 14 in a news release at http://basta4bell.com/media-center/ Basta said this:

"If the other three Council members can join Council members Velez and Artiga in implementing our requests, the reform and healing of Bell can begin."

You mean to tell me Basta was negotiating with these clowns? Were they actually wheeling and dealing with these people? Lovely!

Well, from the looks of it, you have 4 votes to implement your requests. Problem is, your 4 votes, for God knows what, are all sitting in jail.

Maybe Velez can visit and we can hold our next Council Meeting in jail.

[Chuck]

I agree that you SHOULD be innocent until proven guilty, but we all know that is not the case in this country. Many innocent people are prosecuted everyday. As far as Police Chief Randy Adams, he gets a pass because he is a cop and most likely a close friend of all the other corrupt cops, elected politicians, and public officials. We live in a "DO as I say not as I do" government. The system in this country is out of control. Do the right thing and arrest Police Chief Randy Adams, you do not think he knew what was going on?. Finally, everything in this world revolves around money and power. The laws in this country that prosecute innocent people is sickening and it happens everyday. Shame on the system. Arrest the Police Chief.

[Matt ramirez]

BingDoty, Rizzo is Italian. Bell is mostly hispanic. Corruption has no color. Corruption is everywhere Some are better at it them others. They werent good at it. Bush and Cheney were. Get it!

[Frank Huarez]

Pay attention Maywood! Rizo, Aguirre, Gordado, Phillips, Fernandez, Rubio, Hauptmann, and David Mango, you'll be next.

[la rider]

But you let the police chief go? Uh??? This is why law enforcement has no respect. This is American Gangster all over. It wasn't just Denzel being a criminal, it was the entire New York police force.

[Lalaland]

Why is it a "sad day", exactly? Sad was when the news was hidden from the public. "Good" was the day the news broke. "Great" is today, the day these crooks are handcuffed and led to jail. "Awesome" will be the day these crooks apay back every penny and spend the rest of their days rotting in jail.

[la rider]

The citizens are not at fault. Government is just big ponzi scheme feeding off those who pay real taxes, not the low income folks who pay nothing but lend their votes to corrupt politicians who hand out welfare checks in return.

[What's going on here?]

Didn't George Cole just get honored as a community advocate of the year?

I thought I saw a picture of Rudy holding his crystal trophy at Luminarias.

And I thought I saw Ron there too.

So what time's the press conference?

[DG3]

AWESOME! FINALLY!

[ERRN]

Congratulations to Times reporters Jeff Gottlieb and Ruben Vives. Don't stop now!!

[bravo!]

Looking all thes most "lati.no" people there first thing comes to my mind is a Presidente's Fox quote "where are Mexicans there is Mexico".. He was right, Mexico's style corruption in U.S.A shows just that!

[Skat]

Good! Now, let's see if these vermin get the maximum time that they deserve. . . I would be ashamed to be related/married to these dirtbags! I'm gonna be watching this, as I'm sure the rest of the country will too!

[Rick Rodriguez]

It does not matter what political party they were affiliated with. Democrat, Republican, or Independant doesn't matter. There are crooks everywhere. As for the Chief of Police, making an outragous salary is not enough to arrest someone. If it was there would be a lot more prople in jail. It is not Cops protecting Cops. Let's look at the real issues here, which are politicians running out of control. Keep the petty stuff for your local newspapers.

[Tony B]

It's about time. What took so long?

[pmg]

Hypatia, I'm sure Mr. Cooley was sad no to receive a call from you this morning.

[Let's get it totally right, this time!!!]

Now, if you really want to clean up Bell and the surrounding cities let's have immigration (INS) an start picking up residents that are in the U.S. illegally. Now, we are going in the right direction.

[johnhancock1776]

good! they thought theyd never get caught.