In the past month alone, California politicos have seen their fair share of scandals. Between Calderon, Co, Shirakawa, and numerous officials from the City of Bell, the words “California” and “Corruption” are soon to be—if not already—synonymous.
Unfortunately, it is necessary to add another local elected to the growing list.
Former Rosemead Mayor John Tran pleaded guilty on Monday to several counts of attempted witness tampering and making false statements to a federal agent regarding a development in the city.
Tran has admitted to receiving upwards of $38,000—disguised as loans—from a developer between 2005 and 2007. Tran later instructed the developer to lie to both a federal grand jury as well as a federal agent in order to cover up their business dealings. He faces up to 25 years in federal prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tran would routinely visit the developer and demand payments for his support of the project. The developer later became an informant with the FBI.
Tran was voted out of office in 2009 and the city subsequently rejected the project. He failed to return any of the cash payments to the developer.
Tran will be sentenced in April of next year.
Read the full article at CBS Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Times.