Another of Tom Fuentes' corrupt pals goes down

This just in. OC Reg “watchdog” Jennifer Muir reports the decision of the judge in OC Treasurer Chriss Street’s fraud trial.

Guilty!

Street is one of Trustee Tom Fuentes’ corrupt pals. (As these old graphics indicate, Fuentes was Street's campaign advisor during the latter's last race.) Street has often come to SOCCCD board meetings, at Fuentes' request, to report on tax revenue (our district's funding is tied to local property taxes).

Judge: Chriss Street breached duty, engaged in self-dealing

A federal bankruptcy judge has found that Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Chriss Street committed fraud and breach of duty five years ago when he served as a trustee for a bankrupt truck-trailer company.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Richard M. Neiter ordered Street to pay more than $7 million in damages to Freuhauf Trailer Corp in the case. Freuehauf had asked for Street to pay $11.9 million in damages.

Street was the court-appointed trustee from 1998 through July 2005, before his election as treasurer.

Attorneys for the bankrupt Fruehauf accused Street of wasting money, delaying payments to creditors, and otherwise breaching his duty “in an effort to serve his own selfish ends.

“This is a case where a fiduciary lost sight of his mandate to liquidate trust assets for the benefit of the trust’s beneficiaries by engaging in unsuccessful business ventures, self-dealing, and violations of the liquidating trust agreement,” U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Richard M. Neiter wrote in his 29-page ruling.

“This conduct caused the trust to lose significant sums of money otherwise available for its beneficiaries and to delay their payment through seven years of the trustee’s tenure.”

Jennifer provides a link (here) to the judge's actual ruling. She'll provide more information later.

It has long been rumored that Trustee Dave Lang, who, five or so years ago, mysteriously reversed his long-standing opposition to administrator Raghu P. Mathur, covets the OC Treasurer/Tax Collector position. Well, we'll be watching.

Street's lawyer is Phil Greer. Guess what? Greer represented Mathur recently in his negotiations with the district concerning his resignation. He also represented Trustee John Williams when the latter faced the OC Board of Supervisors regarding the two scathing Grand Jury reports that outlined Williams' incompetence and improprieties.

But wait! Greer also represents four of the five Supes!

Isn't Orange County just a fabulous place?


Tom Fuentes loved to drag that corrupt rat bastard Mike Carona to Irvine Valley College events such as 911 ceremonies.

Carona put on a good show, what with prayer and tears and lots of Republicans wanting to get a picture taken with 'im.