Pension Board Officials Enter Not Guilty Pleas
Six current and former trustees of the board that oversees the city’s beleaguered pension fund pleaded not guilty Monday to felony conflict-of-interest charges.
The case against Cathy Lexin, Ron Saathoff, John Torres, Mary Vattimo, Terri Webster and Sharon Wilkinson contains the first criminal charges in the pension fund scandal that prompted the resignation of Mayor Dick Murphy.
San Diego County Superior Court Judge Michael D. Wellington scheduled a preliminary hearing for Aug. 22.
The pension has a $1.37-billion deficit, largely a result of decisions in 1996 and 2002 that allowed San Diego to escape payments to the retirement fund and -- at the same time -- enhance pension benefits.
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