Feds seek probation for ex-Democratic Party leader involved in corruption scandal

Los Angeles Times

6 days ago

A federal judge is expected to sentence Melahat Rafiei, a former Orange County Democratic Party leader and key witness in the FBI's sprawling O.C. political corruption probe, after she pleaded guilty to attempted wire fraud and admitted to attempted bribery.
U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Aenlle-Rocha will preside over Rafiei's scheduled sentencing hearing on Aug. 22.
Attempted wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. But, citing Rafiei's cooperation with the investigation and lack of a prior criminal record, federal prosecutors have argued in recently filed court documents that one-year probation and a $10,000 fine is an appropriate punishment.
The corruption probe, which first publicly surfaced in 2022, exposed the inner workings of a self-described 'cabal' in Anaheim, halted the approved $320-million Angel Stadium deal and led to the conviction of disgraced former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu for lying to FBI agents.
Former Anaheim Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive Todd Ament also pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, including a retail cannabis-related wire fraud scheme. He awaits sentencing next year and may have his charges reduced for his own cooperation.
'Without defendant Rafiei's actions, the government likely could not have charged Ament or Sidhu,' court documents read. 'Rafiei devoted a significant amount of time to her cooperation, provided information that was truthful and timely and risked her own political, business and personal connections and reputation to do so.'
Though the corruption probe ended the Angel Stadium deal and led to Sidhu's resignation as mayor, it traces its origins back to Irvine and Rafiei.
In 2018, Rafiei attempted a bribery scheme involving $225,000, retail cannabis and two members of the Irvine City Council. Unbeknownst to Rafiei, she represented cannabis clients who also served as government informants.
The scheme aimed to have the council members back a retail cannabis law favorable to her clients in exchange for the bribe.
Former Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox released a statement in 2023 saying she cooperated with the FBI and provided Rafiei with a legal services quote but was never privy to any bribery scheme.
No former members of the Irvine City Council have been named or charged in connection with the scheme. As part of Rafiei's plea deal in 2023, she admitted to but was not charged with bribery.
Rafiei also represented one of the cannabis clients in Anaheim.
When Jordan Brandman returned to the Anaheim City Council in 2018, he introduced Rafiei to Ament and political consultant Jeff Flint at the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce's office to discuss retail cannabis.
He believed there would be a majority of votes on the council to legalize and regulate pot shops in the city.
'I wanted this policy and I wanted the tax revenue,' Brandman told TimesOC in a February 2024 interview months before his death from acute methamphetamine intoxication.
Brandman said during the interview he had no knowledge of what happened between Rafiei, Ament and Flint in the months that followed his introduction in early 2019, which has since been outlined in FBI affidavits.
'I put them together and that was it,' he said. 'I'm the council member. They were supposed to develop the policy, bring it to the council and I'll get the votes.'
According to the FBI, Rafiei told her client that a payment of at least $300,000 would enable her to have a tailored retail cannabis law passed through Ament and Flint's influence over the Anaheim City Council. She claimed that she would keep $10,000 for her services but actually intended to pocket $100,000.
Rafiei was already working on retail cannabis efforts in Anaheim for other clients before the attempted wire fraud.
Neither Irvine nor Anaheim have passed any related laws.
Rafiei 'engaged in serious and deceptive behavior, demonstrating complete disregard for the democratic process and the public interest and prioritizing only her own financial gain,' federal prosecutors argued. 'Conduct like [hers] threatens to undermine public trust in government and the political process, at a time when public trust is already low.'
Rafiei served as the executive director of the Democratic Party of Orange County from 2007 to 2009.
After growing the party's base, she turned her attention to political fundraising and consulting. Rafiei founded Progressive Solutions Consulting in 2009. The firm worked on local campaigns before setting its sights higher.
In 2018, Rafiei worked as a fundraising consultant on Kevin de León's bid to challenge the late Sen. Diane Feinstein when she was running to retain her seat. According to Federal Election Commission records, De León's campaign paid Progressive Solutions Consulting $168,500 that year.
She later became secretary of the California Democratic Party in 2021 and served as a member of the Democratic National Committee.
She resigned from both positions when the federal corruption probe surfaced the following year.