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FBI Agent Who Brought Down Calderon May Have Targeted Huizar
Jose Huizar in 2011 (Photo by josehuizar via Flickr)
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The dramatic saga of Rocky Patel continues to get more interesting. The Los Angeles Times has learned that the same undercover FBI agent who posed as a film executive to catch State Senator Ron Calderon in a bribery scandal has also been in contact with L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar.
The agent, posing as the flamboyantly-named Rocky Patel, apparently called Huizar's office with questions about city permits. Patel claimed to be the head of a small independent film company called United Pacific Studios, which recently was uncovered as a front to catch scheming politicians like Calderon in the act.
A spokesperson for Huizar said that he had talked to Patel and "explained the options available to him," according to the L.A. Times. After the meeting, Patel did not contact him again. It is unclear whether Patel met Huizar in person.
Patel apparently went to great lengths to appear legit, going so far as creating a fake Twitter account that followed porn stars and film executives. The Twitter account, @rocky2hollywood, has since been deleted after Al-Jazeera America blew the lid off the whole operation last Wednesday.
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Calderon has been in hot water ever since a 125-page affidavit was uncovered detailing the various bribes and kickbacks he received in return for lessening tax restrictions on independent films. The swag included $60,000, trips to Vegas and employment for his daughter, Jessica.
The details are still murky, but it's safe to say that Rocky Patel is on a mission to rid the Los Angeles area of political sleaze.
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