Four Irwindale officials used city funds to go to Yankees and Mets games and attend Broadway shows such as " Phantom of the Opera" and " Mamma Mia," according to charges filed by the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
The officials, including one current City Council member,
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The four are accused of traveling to New York for up to six days at a time,
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The estimated loss is about $14,000.
[Updated at 9:00 a.m: The incidents occured between 2001 and 2005 and were discovered by an anonymous letter sent to the district attorney's office that referenced an article in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, according to the charges.
Breceda,
cazadoras belstaff hombre, Blancarte and De Dios are facing five felony counts of misappropriating funds. Ramirez is facing one count. All but De Dios are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning. De Dios,
comprar belstaff, who is out of town, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.]
The Times has been investigating the spending in Irwindale. The reporting found lavish business trips for officials to New York City including meals in five-star restaurants,
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Trips in 2003 and 2005 had eight hours of scheduled meetings on the itinerary, but cost taxpayers more than $75,000, according to expense reports and itineraries obtained by The Times.
The information comes to light after a Times investigation in September that found that municipalities across the state have skirted or ignored laws requiring them to build affordable housing,
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More details from The Times' investigation will be posted later.
-- Jessica Garrison and Richard Winton
Photo: " Phantom of the Opera" production on Broadway. Associated Press
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