Overview
- Israel Claustro signed a plea admitting one count of mail fraud and agreed to leave the bench by Jan. 12.
- An initial federal court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 12 in Santa Ana.
- Claustro admitted he operated Liberty Medical Group despite lacking the medical licensure California requires for owning a medical corporation.
- Court filings say he paid suspended physician Kevin Tien Do about $306,000 and submitted workers’ comp reports that concealed Do’s authorship.
- Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said Claustro failed to obtain required approval for outside employment, calling his conduct a breach of public trust.