People v. Spaccia

*1279INTRODUCTION

This case arises out of the highly publicized corruption scandal in the City of Bell (Bell). The scandal erupted in 2010, after it was discovered that the city manager, assistant *67city manager, and five city council members were *1280receiving astronomical salaries and fringe benefits, which they had taken care to conceal from their constituents. The subsequent investigation focused in large part on the actions of the longtime city manager, Robert Rizzo, and the assistant city manager, defendant and appellant Pier'Angela Spaccia.

As pertinent here, a jury convicted Spaccia of 11 counts…