U.S. lawyer faces bribery charges
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A federal attorney was arrested Thursday on corruption charges; he is suspected of accepting bribes from immigrants seeking legal status in the United States, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Chief Counsel Constantine Peter Kallas and his wife, Maria, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, bribery and making a false statement in an immigration application.
According to federal authorities, Kallas formed two businesses and filed employment petitions with the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on behalf of the immigrants.
Bank accounts for the couple show that roughly $950,000 had been deposited since 2000, according to the search warrant affidavit.
Peter and Maria Callas, who live in Alta Loma, were arrested at the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland, where authorities said they accepted a $20,000 bribe from an immigrant.
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-- Anna Gorman
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