Robert Rizzo, former city manager of Bell, California, was making $787,638 per year in that position.

Eight current and former Bell, California, city officials arrested and charged Tuesday with misappropriation of funds and making or receiving illegal loans demonstrated "corruption on steroids," the Los Angeles County district attorney said.

The charges allege the officials misappropriated more than $5.5 million, including being paid for phantom meetings, District Attorney Steve Cooley said at a news conference.

High salaries paid to officials of the city sparked local outrage and national attention when they came to light in July. Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo, Police Chief Randy Adams and Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia resigned after media reports that they were making several hundred thousand dollars a year each. Adams was not charged, Cooley said.

"The complaint alleges they used the tax dollars collected from the hard-working citizens of Bell as their own piggy bank, which they looted at will," Cooley said at the news conference.

Arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday.

In addition to Rizzo and Spaccia, those arrested were Mayor Oscar Hernandez, Vice Mayor Teresa Jacobo, council members George Mirabal and Luis Artiga; and former council members George Cole and Victor Bello. Bail ranged from $3.2 million for Rizzo to $130,000 for Cole. A battering ram was used to secure the arrest of Hernandez, Cooley said.

Rizzo, who was being paid nearly $800,000 annually, is charged with 53 counts of misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest. Among the allegations are that he wrote his own employment contracts and that they were never approved by the City Council, prosecutors said.

Cooley alleges that Rizzo, hired as Bell's chief administrative officer in September 1994, gave nearly $1.9 million in unauthorized loans to himself, Spaccia, Artiga, Hernandez and dozens of others. Rizzo is responsible for $4.3 million of the city's losses, Cooley said.

Rizzo's attorney, Jim Spertus, said Cooley ensured that reporters witnessed the arrest of his client and called it "grossly unprofessional."

"Candidate Cooley wants some good campaign material," Spertus said, making reference to the district attorney's candidacy for California attorney general.

"[Rizzo's] salary was openly transparent to the City Council, and the council approved it," he said, adding that his client will fight the charges.

Spertus also said the city's loan program followed procedures and that Cooley's office did not interview many pertinent witnesses.

Link to Arrest Photos

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bell-arrests-pictures,0,1197308.photogallery