Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Robert Molvar, joined partners at a press conference today to announce the arrest of two defendants out of three charged in separate federal homelessness corruption and fraud cases. A third defendant is being sought by law enforcement. "When taxpayer-funded programs are exploited for personal gain, it undermines public trust and diverts critical resources away from the people who need them most,” said Robert Molvar, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Our work does not stop with these arrests. We remain committed to identifying fraud, protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding programs designed to help those experiencing homelessness.” Details:

A San Bernardino County man was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment charging him and two other defendants with paying people on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles to sign petitions using stolen identities of registered voters to qualify initiatives on ballots in California elections. James Brass, 47, a.k.a. “Lord,” of Victorville, was arrested this morning and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. Also charged in the two-count indictment are two petition circulators who worked for Brass: Courtney Price, 49, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Jateisha Herron, 33, of Boron, California. All three defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit identity fraud in furtherance of a state felony. Brass and Price are charged with an additional count of identity fraud in furtherance of a state felony. Patrick Grandy, FBI Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, said, “It is imperative that Americans have confidence in our voting system and election infrastructure. The scheme outlined in today’s indictment sought to undermine an essential pillar of our democracy and cause an undue burden on taxpayers. We will remain vigilant in detecting those trying to weaken our political process and we will aggressively investigate any allegations of voter fraud or other election crimes.” @usao_losangeles

Two former city councilmen from Baldwin Park and Compton were sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for engaging in corrupt acts while they were elected officials, including the payment and acceptance tens of thousands of dollars in bribes for a police union’s support and to obtain official city permits for marijuana cultivation. Ricardo Pacheco, 63, of Baldwin Park, received an 18‑month federal prison sentence, a $10,000 fine, and must forfeit $219,755. Isaac Jacob Galvan, 39, of Compton, was also sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $323,557 in restitution. 👉Details: