Baldwin Park Officials Implicated In Bribery, Kickback Lawsuit

BALDWIN PARK, CA -- A newly filed lawsuit is making serious allegations about current and past City of Baldwin Park officials, including accusations of illegal activities such as all-expense-paid trips to NFL games, expensive meals and free trips to Las Vegas and Mexico.

City Attorney Robert Tafoya is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which was made public June 11. City Councilman Ricardo Pacheco and former police chief Michael Taylor -- whom Baldwin Park fired in 2016 -- are accused of being co-conspirators in a bribery and kickback scheme.

No criminal charges have yet been filed against any of the men.

Tafoya serves as general counsel at the Rialto-based water district, while Pacheco is the water district's assistant general manager. Taylor is president of the water district's Board of Directors.

In a statement, West Valley Water District spokesman Naseem Farooqi said the district has open an investigation into the allegations and would not comment further on the matter.

Most of those accused have yet to issue official statements, but in an email to the Press-Enterprise newspaper, Tafoya said the allegations against him are untrue and "appear to be" politically motivated.

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by West Valley Water District (WVWD) board member Dr. Clifford Young, Chief Financial Officer Naisha Davis and Assistant Board Secretary Patricia Romero.

The suit alleges the defendants and alleged co-conspirators took part in kickbacks and bribes, including "swapping lucrative contracts that generated over $1 million in fees and salaries in return for campaign contributions, free trips, gifts and NFL tickets,” said Rachel Fiset of Zwieback, Fiset and Colman, attorneys for the whistleblowers.

Also named as defendants are Tofoya's law firm, Tafoya & Garcia; water district Special Counsel Clifton Albright and his law firm, Albright Yee & Schmit; WVWD Special Counsel Martin Kaufman, and his law firm, Kaufman Law Firm; and WVWD consultant Robert Katherman.

Other co-conspirators named in the case include WVWD Board Vice President and Fontana Public Safety officer Kyle Crowther and WVWD General Manager Clarence Mansell.

The lawsuit alleges, among other things, that in 2017 and 2018, Tafoya paid for Taylor to travel and stay in Mexico and Las Vegas, trips that Taylor did not disclose on required economic disclosure forms as an elected official. Also alleged is that in September 2018, Tafoya paid for Taylor, Crowther and Young to attend an Arizona Cardinals football game in Arizona. Tafoya paid for airfare, hotels, game tickets and meals on the trip. Taylor and Crowther did not disclose the trip on required filings.

Tafoya paid for Crowther’s airfare to Miami and for football tickets to Miami Dolphins football games on at least two occasions in 2018, according to the allegations. Crowther did not disclose the tickets or airfare on required filings.

In exchange, Tafoya received political contributions and other financial favors, the lawsuit alleges.

“A pattern of illegal kickbacks in the form of free travel, expensive meals, campaign contributions, entertainment and gifts shows how these defendants and their co-conspirators acted unlawfully to enrich themselves at the public’s expense,” Fiset said. “Our clients’ goal is to bring this rampant fraud, misappropriation of public funds and violation of the public’s trust to an end.”