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An Orange County judge pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of mail fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud California\u2019s workers compensation fund.<\/p>\n
Who\u2019s the judge? Israel Claustro was a long-time 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 healthcare 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
Will he go to prison? Claustro 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. In an email to LAist last week, Claustro\u2019s lawyer, Paul Meyer, said his client \u201cdeeply regrets\u201d his participation in the business venture and was resigning as judge \u201cin good faith, with sadness.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next: Claustro is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26. California\u2019s Constitution calls for the governor to appoint someone to temporarily replace Claustro on the bench for the next few years, followed by an election.<\/p>\n