The Bell, California corruption probe continued with an audit revealing over $50 million in mismanaged city funds.
The audit, commissioned by State Controller John Chiang, examined over $65 million in city government spending. The audit revealed financial improprieties including over $5.6 million in questionable licensing fees, an unnecessary $50 million bond, $10.4 million paid to contracting companies owned by Bell's director of planning services, a $4.8 million sweetheart land deal with a former mayor and nearly $6 million in compensation packages for the mayor and other top city officials. City Manager Robert Rizzo received a salary nearly twice that of President Barack Obama. Of the $50 million bond, over $23.5 sat in a noninterest bearing account for a Bell Sports Complex with no development plan.
State Controller John Chiang issued a statement that Bell's city government "had almost no accounting controls, no checks or balances." Chiang further stated that Bell's city finances were "run like a petty cash drawer." The statement described Bell city government as "a perfect breeding ground for fraudulent, wasteful spending."
Chiang's office will release a second report next month regarding Bell's city of state and federal funds. A third report, issued by an independent agency, is set to be released in November.
Interim City Manager Pedro Carrillo, interim City Attorney Jamie Casso and Lorenzo Velez -- the lone member of the city council not under investigation -- continued meeting regularly to keep business going in Bell.
Comments
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