Former Bell city administrator Robert Rizzo hospitalized
Chest pains
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Bell's former top administrator was hospitalized with chest pains today during a break in a hearing to determine if he should stand trial on charges of bilking millions of dollars in taxpayer money.
Robert Rizzo, 57, was taken out of the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles on a gurney and loaded into an ambulance. He apparently began complaining of chest pains after a preliminary hearing in his case broke for lunch.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Greg Acevedo confirmed that a man in his 50s was taken from the courthouse around 12:15 p.m. and was taken to a hospital for treatment of chest pains. He did not identify Rizzo as the patient.
Rizzo is charged with 44 counts of misappropriation of public funds, six counts of falsification of records by an official custodian, three counts of conflict of interest and one count of public officer crime. He also is charged in a separate case with two counts of misappropriation of public funds.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Henry J. Hall began hearing evidence Tuesday against Rizzo and former Assistant City Administrator Angela Spaccia, 52, who is charged with four counts of misappropriation of public funds.
Hall last week ordered six current and former Bell city officials to stand trial on similar charges.
BELL, Calif.—A memo apparently outlining a game in which Bell police officers could compete to issue the most tickets, impound cars and arrest motorists was actually a parody of the city's "profoundly nonsensical'' towing policy, the Bell Police Officers' Association contended today.
BELL - Eight Bell city officials, including former City Manager Robert Rizzo, were arrested today as part of an investigation by the District Attorney's Office into lofty salaries earned by administrators and elected leaders.
"This was calculated greed and theft,'' District Attorney Steve Cooley said at a late-morning news conference.
Firefighters of the past to the present-day gathered May 30 at the African American Firefighter Museum (old Engine No. 30) luncheon at 14th Street and Central Avenue to pay tribute to the men who opened the door for them nearly 60 years ago.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Five former Bell city officials were convicted today of misappropriating public funds by accepting exorbitant salaries while representing the small municipality, but jurors acquitted them of some charges and exonerated one former councilman altogether.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A former chief business officer for the Lynwood Unified School District was sentenced today to eight years behind bars for diverting more than $700,000 in public funds for his own use.
William Douglas Agopian, 61, of Santa Ana, pleaded guilty Sept. 4 to one felony count each of misappropriation of public funds and filing a false tax return.
