Meet Robert Rizzo, California’s $13 million man. Yesterday, we discussed how, while Rizzo and two of his colleagues have resigned from their positions with the small town of Bell (where Rizzo was pulling in a salary of roughly $800,000 a year), they will still be able to collect millions in pension. In Rizzo’s case, his $650,000 annual pension could yield $13 million in twenty years.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown has announced a joint investigation with the enormous California Public Employees Retirement System into the salaries and pensions. However, assuming these were approved by the officials in Bell, I fail to see how such compensation would be fraud or theft unless there is somr state law limiting such salaries. There is a state law limiting the compensation for part-time council members, which allegedly was surpassed in this case. There could be a claim of a conspiracy, but it is hard to have a conspiracy if the compensation packages were presented in open council meetings. Obviously, any allegations of kickbacks tied to self-dealing would change that equation.

This mug shot of Rizzo was taken after his earlier arrest for DUI — for which he received alcohol counseling. A resident called police after Rizzo allegedly ran into their mailbox and then drove into an alley.

Source: OCRegister