L.A. building inspectors facing federal bribery charges
Posted By
Editor on Apr 14, 2011 12:35pm PDT
Two Los Angeles city building inspectors are facing federal bribery charges in connection with thousands of dollars in payoffs given for approval of work at residential building sites without an inspection.
Hugo Joel Gonzalez and Raoul Joseph Germain were arrested April 8.
The FBI began a criminal investigation last summer after an informant -- a work site supervisor for a residential property developer -- tipped them off that the suspects had allegedly taken cash bribes to give permit approvals on construction projects.
Gonzalez allegedly took a total of $9,000 in bribes from an informant and undercover FBI agent, and Germain allegedly accepted $6,000.
The Department of Building and Safety opened an investigation into possible bribe taking in January and put the two men on administrative leave on Feb. 25.
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