Business Group’s Head to Face Campaign Charges

The head of a politically prominent Eastside business group was scheduled to surrender this morning to face criminal charges tied to a campaign money-laundering case, it was learned Wednesday.

Steven A. Soto, president of the Mexican American Grocers Assn., has been named in a multiple-count grand jury indictment in connection with thousands of dollars in allegedly illegal political contributions made to state and local politicians, his attorney acknowledged late Wednesday.

The case stems from probes by the Los Angeles Ethics Commission and the state Fair Political Practices Commission and has resulted in nearly $50,000 in civil penalties, said Mark Geragos, Soto’s attorney. Geragos confirmed that Soto will surrender to prosecutors this morning.

In agreeing to the penalties, Soto acknowledged that the grocers group illegally reimbursed employees who wrote campaign checks to Los Angeles City Council members Richard Alatorre and Mike Hernandez, as well as to Assembly candidates Xavier Becerra, Kathleen Torres and Martha Escutia. No wrongdoing by lawmakers has been alleged.

Among the new charges is an allegation that false evidence was presented to investigators during the probe, Geragos said. But he said Soto believed he had resolved the matter “in its entirety.”

A spokesman for the district attorney’s office declined to comment.

With the growth of Latino businesses, the nationwide grocers group, now representing about 12,000 small retailers and food manufacturers, has taken on an increasingly high profile. Speakers at its annual convention this year included former President George Bush and former Vice President Dan Quayle.