F.B.I. arrests Mayor of Nogales, Arizona
YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles
YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles
YJ Draiman for Mayor of LA - Statement
Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles - 2013
YJ Draiman formally running for mayor of LA - 2013
The twenty nine year old Mayor of the border town of Nogales, Arizona, Octavio Garcia Von Borstel, has been indicted and arrested on multiple charges Tuesday morning at his City Hall office.
The Arizona Attorney General's office says the mayor's father, Octavio Suarez Garcia, 59, was arrested as well.
The mayor is facing charges of bribery, theft, fraud and money laundering. His father was indicated for fraud, theft and money laundering.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said in a news release, "These charges are serious violations of the law. Because some charges involve the official actions of an elected official, they violate the public trust."
The Nogales International newspaper quotes Nogales City Manager Shane Dille as saying Von Borstel was escorted from his office in City Hall at 9:20 a.m. by FBI agents. The paper says search warrants were also executed at Von Borstel's home and at his produce business in Nogales.
Von Borstel became Mayor of Nogales in April, 2008. There have been numerous reports of a criminal investigation for months.
The FBI says it began investigating the mayor five months ago. It learned he was soliciting Nogales businesses to hire him as a business consultant.
At least one business admitted to the FBI it was paying the mayor to get it city contracts and business.
The Arizona Attorney General's office says the mayor's father was involved through his Nogales business, ACE Cash Express. They allege the father laundered up to $3.2 million in money orders.
