USA: California State Senator Faces Corruption Charges

Calderon allegedly accepted bribes from Michael Dobrot, 69, the former chief executive officer of Pacific Hospital of Long Beach in suburban Los Angeles, to defraud “hundreds of millions” of dollars from the health care system through a legislative loophole. 

The allegations against Calderon surfaced during a larger investigation into Dobrot, who is cooperating with prosecutors on the Calderon case and faces charges in what the California Department of Insurance called the largest insurance fraud case in its history, according to the Calfornia Healthline website. Dobrot is accused of giving $500 million in illegal kickbacks to doctors over the past 16 years, the website reports. 

Prosecutors said Dobrot provided a “stream of financial benefits” to Calderon including an estimated $100,000 in cash. The Sacramento Bee newspaper reported the benefits included golf outings, free flights, expensive dinners and summer jobs for his son over a three-year period.

Calderon is also accused of accepting bribes from undercover FBI agents, who posed as employees at a Hollywood movie studio, in exchange for his support for expanded film tax credits in the state.

His older brother, Tom Calderon, 59, is also facing charges of conspiracy and money laundering, accused of laundering the bribes through his consulting firm, Californians for Diversity. 

Mack Jenkins, assistant US Attorney, said, "The United States views these charges as very serious. Today is just the first step in a long process to seek justice for a corrupt politician." 

Reuters reports that if found guilty, the state senator could be facing up to 400 years in prison, the statutory maximum, while his brother could face 160 years.