Corruption Probe At LA Building Department Expanded

LOS ANGELES (AP) — City officials have expanded a corruption investigation at the Los Angeles building department, a month after two employees were arrested for allegedly accepting thousands of dollars in bribes to approve construction work without conducting inspections.

The Los Angeles Times reports Saturday that since the arrests, a federal grand jury has granted three subpoenas to the Department of Building and Safety, including one seeking personnel records for at least 11 current and former workers.

One of the two inspectors charged in the bribery cause pleaded guilty Thursday. Sixty-year-old Raoul Germain admitted to taking $6,000 in bribes.

The other inspector, 49-year-old Hugo Gonzalez, has pleaded not guilty.

Germain and Gonzalez were the targets of an FBI sting after an informant who worked at a construction site alleged they accepted bribes.

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