AZSCAM alive and well at the Arizona State Capital...
Cross Post
Ben Arredondo, a state representative and former Tempe City Councilman, was charged with bribery, mail fraud, extortion and lying in a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday for allegedly demanding and accepting gifts and other items from a company that was actually fronted by undercover FBI agents.
The 10-page court document includes allegations that Arredondo asked the fictional company's representatives to purchase a $525 table for a charity event with the understanding that the former Tempe councilman would invite guests of his choice to sit in the seats.
The indictment includes allegations that Arredondo took official action for the benefit of the fictitious company, including that he shared information with an FBI agent about the City of Tempe's bidding process for a project that Arredondo believed the fictitious company was interested in bidding on.
The indictment also alleges that Arredondo accepted $300 in tickets to an Arizona Cardinals football game, more than $1,200 in tickets to Major League Baseball's American League Championship game in 2009 and that he accepted 18 tickets worth about $2,400 for Arizona Diamondbacks game sin 2010.
