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Calderon Indicted On Fraud, Bribery Charges

Friday, February 21, 2014 | Sacramento, CA
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Rich Pedroncelli / AP

State Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, sits at his desk during the first Senate session of the new year at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Jan. 6 2014.

Rich Pedroncelli / AP

Update 5:45 p.m.: Late this afternoon, Democratic State Senate leader Darrell Steinberg ... and the rest of the Senate Democratic Caucus called on Calderon to resign.


The Department of Justice announced Friday that State Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) is facing 24 federal charges including bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. 

U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte said Calderon solicited and accepted $100,000. 

“Ron Calderon, we allege, took the bribes in return for official acts. Such as, supporting legislation to those that would be favorable to those that paid him bribes and opposing legislation that would harmful to them. The indictment further alleges that Calderon attempted to convince other public officials to do the same."

~Andre Birotte, U.S. Attorney 

The legislation centered on a potential film tax credit and regulation of medical billing. Calderon is accused of accepting cash, trips, dinners and jobs for his children.

Birotte says Calderon has agreed to surrender on Monday. His brother, former Democratic Assemblyman Tom Calderon, is also being charged in the case. He has already surrendered. 

-By Katie Orr

12 P.M. 

Federal officials announced Friday that State Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) is being charged in a 24-count indictment for mail fraud, wire fraud, honest services fraud, bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and aiding in the filing of false tax returns.

US Atty in #LA Andre Birotte announces indictments against #CA St Sen Ron Calderon and brother Tom #KPCC pic.twitter.com/WMZW5GakWR

— Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) February 21, 2014

Calderon Bribe Case - Indictment

11:48 A.M.

KPCC reported Friday that State Sen. Ron Calderon and his brother Tom were indicted on public corruption charges. 

Take a look at KPPC's full report.  Livestream available here.

Other reports regarding the Calderon case:

  • John Meyers from 10News reported that the state senator knew a raid was coming
  • The L.A. Times has an interactive graphic about the case  

KPCC's timeline of the Calderon investigation:

9:58 A.M.

The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have scheduled a noon press conference Friday in Los Angeles to announce charges filed in what they call "a political corruption matter and a case involving a massive health care fraud scheme."

A source in the California legislature tells Capital Public Radio that the announcement will involve the investigation of state Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello).

The FBI raided Calderon's Capitol office in June.  Then, in October, Al Jazeera America reported the FBI targeted Calderon in an undercover sting operation. 

According to a sealed affidavit obtained by Al-Jazeera, Calderon accepted $60,000 dollars in bribes from an FBI agent posing as the owner of a movie studio.  

In exchange, the affidavit alleges the senator tried to pass a film tax credit at the agent’s request. 

- By Ben Adler

Capitol Coverage

  •  Dennis Goedegebuure, flickr

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  • Steve Yeater / AP file

    California Senator Tony Mendoza Resigns After Sexual Harassment Investigation, But Says He'll Run For Re-Election

    February 22, 2018

    His resignation followed an outside investigation, which found that Mendoza likely engaged in "flirtatious or sexually suggestive" behavior with six different women, including former staffers and fellows. The allegations date back to 2007.

  • Ben Adler / Capital Public Radio

    Report: California Senator Tony Mendoza ‘More Likely Than Not’ Made Sexual Advances Toward Six Women

    February 20, 2018

    A summary of the Senate’s outside investigation comes after the chamber’s Rules Committee met in closed session to discuss Mendoza’s fate for the second weekday in a row.

  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP / File

    Window For Sexual Harassment Complaints Could Widen Under New Bills

    January 18, 2018

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    Related Stories

  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP

    Democrats Lose Supermajority With Calderon's Leave of Absence

    Monday, March 3, 2014
    Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) is taking an indefinite leave of absence to fight corruption and bribery charges stemming from an undercover FBI sting operation.
  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP

    Corruption Still Hurts, Even if Legislation Not Passed

    Tuesday, February 25, 2014
    California State Senator Ron Calderon is facing up to 400 years in prison on public corruption charges. Neither of the bills he’s accused of accepting bribes to promote actually made it through the legislature. But, that may not ultimately matter.
  • Calderon Claims Feds Asked Him To Wear Wire

    Thursday, November 14, 2013
    The political firestorm over state Senator Ron Calderon has taken a new turn. The Democrat from Montebello has asked a federal judge to hold the FBI in contempt of court for trying to smear him because he wouldn't take part in a sting operation.
  • Senators Deny Calderon Investigation Claims

    Thursday, November 14, 2013
    The leader of the California Senate is publicly refuting claims he is under investigation by the FBI.
  • CPR photo/Ben Adler

    Calif. Senate Yanks Calderon's Committee Assignments

    Tuesday, November 12, 2013
    The California lawmaker accused in an FBI affidavit of taking $88,000 in bribes has been stripped of his committee assignments.
  • CPR file photo/Andrew Nixon

    Capitol Roundup: Calderon Responds...Sort Of; October Cash Report

    Friday, November 8, 2013
    State Sen. Ron Calderon issues a statement prompted by the bribery allegations against him in a leaked FBI affidavit - but doesn't address the allegations themselves. Also, October turned out to be a strong month for state budget revenues.
  • CPR photo/Ben Adler

    FBI Affidavit: State Senator Took Bribes in Undercover Sting Operation

    Thursday, October 31, 2013
    An FBI affidavit that details an undercover sting operation targeting Democratic state Senator Ron Calderon is reverberating around the California Capitol. Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg says the allegations make him sick to his stomach.
  • CPR photo/Katie Orr

    Sen. Calderon Returns to State Capitol

    Monday, June 10, 2013
    Democratic State Senator Ron Calderon made his first appearance before the media Monday since the FBI raided his offices at the California Capitol last week.
  • Senate website photo

    FBI Raids Two Offices at Capitol

    Tuesday, June 4, 2013
    UPDATE: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has searched two Capitol offices belonging to Calif. Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello).

    Related Resources

  • 0221 Indictment Against Michael Drobot (pdf)
  • 0221 Press Release About Michael Drobot (pdf)
  • 0221 Calderon Bribe Case - Indictment (pdf)
  • 0221 Calderon Indictment Press Release (pdf)

 capitolcorruptionroncalderonchargesdepartment of justice

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