LOS ANGELES — California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Thursday announced theft and fraud charges against 54 former and current California Highway Patrol officers in connection with an alleged multiyear overtime fraud scheme at the East L.A. station.
The charges come two years after the CHP relieved of duty dozens of officers working in the East L.A. station following investigators gathered evidence that they exaggerated the number of hours they worked on protection details for Caltrans workers doing freeway repairs. So many officers were removed that the agency had to restaff much of the station.
Bonta said the officers face a combined 302 counts, including charges of grand theft and the presentation of a fraudulent claim. The total amount of the fraudulent overtime hours is $226,556.
