Description

Caleb and Greg discuss the case of a small California city tainted by big corruption.

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• (00:00) - Introduction to Bell, California
• (01:38) - Discussing Salaries in the Accounting Profession
• (07:02) - The Rise of Robert Rizzo
• (13:22) - Rizzo's Cost-Cutting Measures
• (21:50) - Rizzo's Controversial Salary Increases
• (28:11) - Investigations and Comparisons
• (33:59) - Controversial Salaries Defended
• (35:56) - Community Outrage and Resignations
• (36:26) - Legal Actions and Arrests
• (38:39) - Unauthorized Loans and Misappropriations
• (44:51) - Absentee Ballots and Voter Fraud
• (50:13) - Trials and Pleas
• (01:00:17) - Lessons learned
• (01:07:44) - Fraud Discovery and Media's Role

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CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS

Greg Kyte, CPA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregkyte
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkyte/

Caleb Newquist
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnewquist
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebnewquist/

Email us at ohmyfraud@earmarkcpe.com

Sources:

• Bell, California [Wikipedia]
• City of Bell scandal [Wikipedia]
• Bell (city), California [US Census Bureau]
• BELL : City OKs Rizzo as Administrative Head [LAT]
• In Maywood, a quiet changing of the guard [LAT]
• Is a city manager worth $800,000? [LAT]
• 10 YEARS AFTER THE BELL SCANDAL ARE WE MORE ETHICAL? [League of California Cities]
• D.A. investigating why Bell council members get nearly $100,000 a year for a part-time job [LAT]
• Bell council used little-noticed ballot measure to skirt state salary limits [LAT]
• Californians Protest City Manager’s $800,000 Salary [Bloomberg]
• Bell leaders hauled off in cuffs [LAT]
• California’s Bell Used as ‘Cash Drawer,’ Chiang Says [Bloomberg]
• How Bell hit bottom [LAT]
• California city manager's pension could top $30 million [Reuters]
• Bell officials won't receive massive pensions [ABC7]
• ​​Differing views of CA official: Crook or victim? [AP]
• Bell corruption trial: Mixed verdicts, 1 ex-councilman acquitted [LAT]
• Bell corruption verdicts, charges [LAT]
• Photos: Arrests in Bell [LAT]
• Five Former Bell Officials Accept Plea Deal In Corruption Case [CBSLA]
• Robert Rizzo blames assistant for Bell corruption, gets prison [LAT]
• In Spaccia defense, a simple premise: Her high pay wasn’t a crime [LAT]
• Former Chief Administrative Officer For City Of Bell Agrees To Plead Guilty To Conspiracy And Tax Charges In Plot To Avoid Income Taxes [DOJ]
• Bell corruption case ends, last defendant gets a year in jail [LAT]
• Former Chief Administrative Officer For City Of Bell Sentenced To Federal Prison For Cheating IRS To Avoid Taxes On Corrupt Activities [DOJ]
• Bell must give up $2.9 million in illegal property taxes [LAT]
• California Board of Accountancy Update Fall 2012 [CBA]