The California Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged Richard Fazlollahi, Cal/OSHA’s Santa Ana district manager, with bribery. Fazlollahi is a longtime Cal/OSHA employee.
Earlier this week, Fazlollahi was removed from his office by “multiple” agents of the Department of Justice.
The investigation is the result of the construction company alerting authorities. According to DOJ, the construction firm had appealed its citations and was to appear at an informal conference. Fazlollahi allegedly offered to reduce the citations in exchange for concrete work at his personal residence. Then, according to the Department of Justice, at the administrative hearing, he presented the settlement “exactly in the manner he had promised the company he would.”
The case will be prosecuted by the Department of Justice Financial Fraud and Special Prosecution Section, following completion of the investigation. All persons are innocent until proven guilty.
Cal-OSHA Reporter will provide more details on this breaking story as they become available.
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