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Consequences for Ethics Laws Violations

Violations of California and federal ethics laws are punishable by a variety of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, depending on the severity of the violation and the degree of intent to violate the law that enforcement entities are able to demonstrate. Legal penalties are often only a small part of the overall cost of being the subject of an investigation for ethics laws violations.

 

Resource

Legal Consequences of Ethics Law Violations
Chart of Potential Penalties

There are a variety of civil, criminal and administrative penalties for violating state or federal ethics laws. Penalties vary depending on the severity of the violation and the degree of intent to violate the law.

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Taking Chances With Ethics Laws: A High Stakes Gamble

This article explains the consequences for violating California’s ethics laws.

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Treasurer Gets 10 Years

A city treasurer was indicted on 39 counts of money laundering, bribery, wire fraud and public corruption, alleging that he used his elected office and political influence to funnel money from city projects to family and friends between 1998 and 2003. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $639,000 in restitution.

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Applying the Same Standards to Self as He Applied to Others

A grim former Governor Eliott Spitzer apologizes to those he disappointed, including his family, and announces his resignation from office.

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Judge Hits Law Enforcement Official Hard

In April of 2009, a southern California sheriff beat a number of federal corruption charges, only to find himself still being treated harshly by the court on the one lone witness tampering conviction.  He was sentenced to 66 months in prison and ordered to pay a $125,000 fine within a year.  The judge said he gave the sentence to promote respect for the law, to be deterrence to others and to establish a just punishment.

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Mayor Receives Harsh Sentence for Steering Contracts

In 2006, a prominent southern California mayor was sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison and ordered to pay over three-quarters of a million dollars in restitution.  The mayor was convicted of some 20 public corruption-related charges.

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