Topline:<\/p>\n
An Orange County judge is resigning, his lawyer says, as part of a plea deal for his role in defrauding California\u2019s workers compensation fund.<\/p>\n
Who\u2019s the judge? Israel Claustro, a longtime prosecutor who won election to Orange County Superior Court in 2022.<\/p>\n
What did he do? While working as an O.C. prosecutor, Claustro also owned a company that billed the state for medical evaluations of injured workers. That was illegal because, in California, you have to be licensed to practice medicine to own a medical corporation.<\/p>\n
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Anyone else involved? Claustro\u2019s partner in the business was a doctor who had previously been suspended for health care fraud, and therefore was prohibited from being involved in workers\u2019 comp claims. Claustro knew this, and paid him anyway, according to court filings from the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s in the plea deal? The deal requires Claustro to resign as a judge and plead guilty to one count of mail fraud. He could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, but the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office is recommending probation instead, as part of the deal.<\/p>\n
In an email to LAist, Claustro\u2019s lawyer, Paul Meyer, said his client \u201cdeeply regrets\u201d his wrongful participation in the business venture, and was resigning as judge \u201cin good faith, with sadness.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next: Claustro is expected to make his initial appearance Jan. 12 in United States District Court in Santa Ana.<\/p>\n