Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar Arrested on Federal RICO Charge that Alleges He Agreed to Accept At Least $1.5 Million in Illicit Benefits

Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar Arrested on Federal RICO Charge that Alleges He Agreed to Accept At Least $1.5 Million in Illicit Benefits. This is number two. In May LA City Councilman  George Esparza, 33, of Boyle Heights, agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute. We hope they nail Garcetti, too.

Huizar was arrested pursuant to a federal criminal complaint filed on June 22 and unsealed this morning. The complaint charges Huizar with one count of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and alleges that, as part of the criminal enterprise, he and his associates violated a series of laws, including bribery, honest services fraud, extortion and money laundering.

“This case pulled back the curtain on rampant corruption at City Hall,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “Councilman Huizar violated the public trust to a staggering degree, allegedly soliciting and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from multiple sources over many years. Using the power of his office to approve or stall large building projects, Huizar worked through a web of other corrupt city officials, lobbyists, consultants and developers to line his pockets and maintain his hold on Council District 14, which he turned into a money-making criminal enterprise that shaped the development landscape in Los Angeles.”