LOS ANGELES (AP) — The jurors who convicted five former city councilors of stealing taxpayer dollars from a struggling Los Angeles suburb that became a national symbol of political greed were told repeatedly that the scheme’s real villain was a man not even in court.The defendants, their lawyers and even some prosecution witnesses said the true mastermind who put in place the scheme that bilked the city of Bell out of $5.5 million was disgraced former City Manager Robert Rizzo. He is expected to face his own trial on similar charges later this year.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=90938