The City of Bell scandal involves misappropriation of public funds in Bell, California – one of the poorest cities in LA County - over a period of several years in the late 2000s. In July 2010, two Los Angeles Times reporters, Jeff Gottlieb and Ruben Vives, write an investigative piece on possible malfeasance in the neighboring city of Maywood, California. In their exposé, they reveal that Bell city officials (a small blue collar community) are receiving salaries that are reportedly the highest in the nation. The scandal results the prosecution of seven officials accused of bilking the poor city out of more than $10 million. The scandal has sweeping implications on governments across California, prompting legislation that requires salaries to be made public and sparking audits of city spending elsewhere.
TIMELINE:
2005 - A measure approved by Bell voters exempts the city from a state law enacted earlier in the year that limits the pay of council members of general-law cities, that is, cities without a charter of their own.
2009 - In emails between assistant city administrator Angela Spaccia and Randy Adams, soon to be hired as police chief, Adams writes, “I am looking forward to seeing you and taking all of Bell’s money?!” Spaccia responds: “We will all get fat together … Bob has an expression he likes to use on occasion,” she continues, referring to Rizzo. “Pigs get Fat … Hogs get slaughtered!!!! So as long as we’re not Hogs … All is well!”
July 2010 - A series of investigative stories published by the Los Angeles Times starting in July 2010 reveal that several city officials are being paid salaries significantly higher than those in other cities. City council members later vote to reduce their pay to that of what one councilman, Lorenzo Velez, was being paid: $8,076 a year.
Aug 2010 - For weeks, Bell refuses to turn over public records to The Times, community activists and even a sitting councilmember. When the city finally starts handing over documents, they show that Rizzo’s true annual compensation is $1.5 million, more than twice what he has claimed.
Sept 2010 - Rizzo, Mayor Oscar Hernandez, former assistant city manager Angela Spaccia and council members George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Luis Artiga, George Cole and Victor Bello are arrested and charged with misappropriation of public funds.
February 2011 – Six city of Bell officials – Mayor Oscar Hernandez, City Council members Teresa Jacobo and Georg Mirabal and former council members Luis Artiga, George Cole and Victor Bello–plead not guilty to misappropriating public funds. City manager Robert Rizzo and former city administrator Angela Spaccia are charged with misappropriating public funds, conflict of interest, falsifying public documents, and secreting public documents.
March 8, 2011 - City voters overwhelmingly vote to recall Hernandez, Jacobo and Mirabal as well as council member Artiga, who had resigned from the council in 2010. Lorenzo Velez, the lone councilman who was not charged in the Bell corruption case, also lost his seat.
July 20, 2012 - Already one of California’s highest paid public pensioners, former Bell Police Chief Randy Adams asks a state pension panel to double his retirement pay to reflect the huge salary he received during his brief stint as the top cop in the scandal-plagued city. If Adams wins his case, his pension would zoom to $510,000 a year, making him the second-highest-paid public pensioner in California. The judge rejects Randy Adams’ request, saying the City Council never approved his extravagant contract and that city officials tried to keep his salary secret.
Jan 24, 2013 – Trial of six councilmembers begins.
March 20, 2013 - After 18 days of deliberations, a jury finds five councilmembers guilty on some of the charges and not guilty on an equal number of charges. Jurors deadlock on a handful of counts against the five. Luis Artiga, who took office after the high pay began, is exonerated of all charges.
Oct 3, 2013 - Robert Rizzo pleads no contest to all 69 counts against him less than a week before jury selection is set to begin in his trial with Spaccia. Rizzo agrees to a 10 to 12 year sentence in state prison. Says L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, “Although we were prepared to go to trial and felt confident we could convict Mr. Rizzo of all charges, we are pleased he chose to admit his guilt and accept full responsibility for the irreparable harm he caused the people of Bell…”
December 2013 - Former Bell assistant city administrator Angela Spaccia is convicted in December of 11 felony counts, including misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest.
April 9, 2014 - Five former political leaders - George Cole, Oscar Hernandez, Teresa Jacobo, Victor Bello and George Mirabal - agree to plead no contest to remaining corruption charges against them and agree to pay restitution to the small, cash-strapped city that could approach $1 million.
Angela Spaccia on trial
April 10, 2014 – A judge sentences former assistant Bell city manager Angela Spaccia to 11 years in prison and brands her a “hog” for tapping the town treasury for her lavish salary. Spaccia became the first person sentenced in the case. Kennedy also orders the 55-year-old to pay more than $8 million in restitution to the city.
April 16, 2014 - Robert Rizzo is sentenced to 12 years in state prison and nearly $9 million in restitution. The judge says Rizzo can never hold public office again.