CALDERON CORRUPTION CASE: Federal Authorities to Announce Criminal Charges in Significant Political Corruption and Health Care Fraud Cases

UPDATED AT 1 P.M. PST:

By Brian Hews

California State Senator Ronald Calderon and his brother former Assemblyman Thomas Calderon have been indicted on at least 31-felony counts it was announced on Friday by Federal investigators.

The indictments were confirmed in a noon time press conference by US Attorney Andre Birotte in Los Angeles.

Senator Ronald Calderon has agreed to surrender to federal authorizes on Monday, and his brother Ton Calderon was taken into custody on Friday.

Ron Calderon faces 24 charges including bribery, money laundering and tax fraud, which carry a maximum sentence of 400 years in prison, Birotte told reporters. The senator who represents a wide swatch of Southeast Los Angeles County agreed to surrender to authorities on Monday, Birotte said.

Birotte also said that former Assemblyman Tom Calderon faces seven counts of money laundering and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon.

It was also announced that Michael Drobot, the former CEO of Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, has made a plea deal with authorities and admitted paying bribes to Ron Calderon, Birotte said.

It is being alleged that Ron Calderon accepted nearly $100,000 in bribes from Drobot and an undercover FBI agent posing as a film studio owner, and that his brother laundered money through a nonprofit group called Californians for Diversity.

Also, it is being alleged in the court filings that The California Legislative Latino Caucus made a $25,000 contribution to Californians for Diversity early last year.

Birotte said that additional arrests in the case are “probable,” but did not mention a specific time frame.

UPDATE 12:06 pm

Charges filed were political corruption, mail fraud, bribery, and money laundering, Ron Calderon will turn himself in Monday Feb. 24.

Tom has already surrendered.

By Brian Hews

A press conference will be held on Friday in Los Angeles to announce criminal charges that will be filed in a political corruption matter and a case involving a massive health care fraud scheme.

Sources are telling Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper that the case involves California State Senator Ronald Calderon.

Sources also told HMG-CN that Ron has reached a plea deal with investigators and he, along with his brother Tom Calderon, will be indicted.

Calderon is being represented by famed criminal defense attorney Mark Gerragos.  A spokesperson for Calderon, Mario Beltran, referred all media calls to Gerragos.  In turn, a Gerragos spokesperson said that they “were aware of the press conference” but did “not want to comment further.”

The conference will begin at noon at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Federal Building, Room 7516, at 300 N. Los Angeles Street, downtown Los Angeles.

United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. will be appearing at the press conference along with FBI Assistant Director in Charge Bill Lewis, Representatives from IRS-Criminal Investigation, Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General and California Department of Insurance.

Related articles across the web

• State Sen. Ronald Calderon’s choice of a spokesman troubles some
• FBI raids office of California Democrat Senator Ron Calderon Montebello
• Capitol Alert: Calls begin for Sen. Ron Calderon to resign his seat
• FBI to file charges in Southeast L.A. corruption probe, source says
• FBI to Announce Charges Related to Investigation Into Sen. Ron Calderon

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