Ousted Bell City Manager Cleared To Post Bail

BELL (AP) — Ousted Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo was cleared by a judge to post $2 million bail Wednesday afternoon.

Los Angeles County district attorney's office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons says Rizzo was expected to be released from jail Wednesday night.

Rizzo has been jailed since Sept. 21 when he and seven other current and former Bell officials were arrested for allegedly bilking taxpayers in the working-class suburb out of more than $5.5 million in salaries, loans and benefits.

Superior Court Judge Mary Lou Villar would not permit Rizzo to post bail until he could prove that the money came from legitimate sources.

After hearing testimony from a variety of witnesses, Villar said she was convinced that Rizzo's bail money was legitimate.

A bail bondsman told the court that Rizzo will have to wear a GPS monitoring anklet and get weekly home visits.

Five properties were being used as collateral to secure the $2 million bail, said Rizzo's attorney, James Spertus.

Rizzo is charged with 53 criminal counts, including misappropriation of $1.9 million in public funds, conflict of interest and falsification of public records.

The current and former Bell council members were charged in nearly two dozen counts of misappropriating about $1.2 million.

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