There was a tantalizing mention of “Idaho” twice in the Los Angeles Times story dated November 14, 2013, headlined Ex-Bell leader Spaccia faces cross-examination in corruption trial.
These two sentences appeared near the end of the article:
“Spaccia also testified that in 2010, she borrowed $200,000 from Rizzo’s mother-in-law to buy a house in Idaho.”
“Adams testified that Spaccia asked him for a $350,000 loan for property in Idaho in February 2010.”
OpenCdA was curious about where Angela Spaccia had been trying to buy property in Idaho, so we contacted LA Times reporter Jeff Gottlieb and asked. His answer: “In your fair city, Coeur d’Alene.”
Mr. Gottlieb’s answer raises more questions. Why did Angela Spaccia happen to choose Coeur d’Alene? Does she have friends, family, or business associates here? During her tenure as Bell’s Assistant City Administrator, had she been in contact with someone in Coeur d’Alene who suggested this would be a good place to “get lost” because our local and regional news media and law enforcement are not professionally too inquisitive?
Maybe some day we’ll get an answer to these questions.
ADDENDUM: Here’s a link to some selected news stories the Los Angeles Times has published concerning the Bell corruption.
Amazing find, Bill.
Comment by Stebbijo — November 16, 2013 @ 1:56 pm
Every day some new bit of information surfaces in this trial that I find jaw dropping.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — November 16, 2013 @ 2:36 pm
From the first link article:
“Spaccia also testified that in 2010, she borrowed $200,000 from Rizzo’s mother-in-law to buy a house in Idaho. When the real estate deal fell through, Spaccia said she repaid Rizzo’s mother-in-law $100,000 and used the remainder to help repay $130,000 she owed the city of Bell. Spaccia said she still owes Rizzo’s mother-in-law $100,000, plus interest”
Who was the realtor(s)?
Comment by Stebbijo — November 16, 2013 @ 5:06 pm
Stebbijo,
It’s fairly common for a person coming to an area to be referred cold to a realtor, sometimes by an organization or professional association or satisfied customers whom the prospect knows. For example, as members of USAA my wife and I were referred by USAA to its recommended realtors for both the sale of our home in California and the search for one here in CdA. Until the agents came to our home to discuss selling it and until we walked into the office here in CdA to which we had been referred, we didn’t know the agents. It would be interesting to know, though, if Spaccia hired her own representative realtor up here to find a suitable property to facilitate the laundering of her ill-gotten money in Bell.
If and when the feds (e.g., IRS) officially get involved in the Bell corruption investigations, it would not be a huge surprise to see evidence and allegations of wire fraud and money-laundering.
We’ll keep digging up here.
Comment by Bill — November 16, 2013 @ 6:32 pm