Just two weeks after being arrested for public corruption, ex-city administrator Robert Rizzo was released from jail before midnight on Wednesday after a Los Angeles County judge said she was satisfied that the assets posted for his $2 million bail did not come from any illegal activity.

Judge Mary Lou Villar ruled that Rizzo could be released Wednesday afternoon and ordered him to surrender his passport and wear an electronic monitoring device at all times.   

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department website listed Rozzi’s, 56, release time as 11:58 p.m..

Rizzo showed no emotion besides a slight smile. 

Rizzo’s attorney complained outside the courtroom that his client was treated unfairly and harshly by a district attorney that tried to win public points as he is beginning to run for state attorney general, the Los Angeles Times reported. His attorney said that Rizzo would have been able to get out of jail a lot sooner if there were not as much resistance coming from the prosecutors. 

Rizzo is the main figure in the Bell scandal along with seven other city officials, including Mayor Oscar Hernandez, council members Luis Artiga, Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal, former Councilmen Victor Bello and George Cole, and former city administrator Angela Spaccia.

The former city officials are charged with embezzling over $5.5 million from the surrounding small, working-class community. 

 

 

To reach reporter Cynthia Balderas, click here. Follow her on Twitter @CVBalderas.

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