4 indicted in campaign donations

Prosecutors indicted four Inland Empire businessmen Monday on money laundering charges after accusing them of illegally funneling $50,000 in campaign donations to seven state political races over four years.

Mark Leggio, part-owner of three car dealerships, allegedly directed three employees to give $3,000 to $3,300 to specific candidates running for the Assembly and state Senate between 2002 and 2006. He reimbursed the employees and donated the same amount to the candidates himself, authorities said.

“It allowed Mr. Leggio to exceed the campaign donation limit,” state Senior Assistant Atty. Gen. Gary Schons said. “He’d give $3,300 in his name, then a second party would give $3,300, so he’d do it twice.”

The limit is now $3,600.

Schons said the money went to six Republican candidates.

“We have no evidence that any of the politicians knew these contributions were illegal,” he said.

The defendants reported to San Bernardino County Superior Court on Monday, where the 37-count indictment, which includes 11 felonies, was unsealed.

Their attorneys asked for more time to examine the documents, so the arraignment was delayed until next month.

Leggio operates Mark Christopher Auto Center in Ontario, Mountain View Chevrolet in Upland and Diamond Hills Auto Group in Banning, Schons said.

The Riverside County district attorney’s office began the investigation in 2006 after becoming suspicious about the pattern of donations made during a race for the 65th Assembly District seat.

The case is being prosecuted in San Bernardino County because that is where the donations were made.

Prosecutors described Leggio as the ringleader who funneled money through Nicola Cacucciolo, his son Nick Cacucciolo and James Deremiah.

All three were Leggio’s employees.

Schons said Leggio was a major donor who had been cited twice in civil cases brought by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for violations of the Political Reform Act.

“The amount of money involved is significant, and he did it over a long period of time in many different races,” Schons said. “It’s a major political money laundering case.”

The biggest recipient was Banning Mayor Brenda Salas, who lost a bid for the Assembly in 2006. She received $15,000 in donations, prosecutors said. Salas could not be reached for comment

Other recipients were Ontario City Councilman Alan Wapner, who lost a bid for the Assembly in 2004; Anthony Adams (R-Hesperia), who won an Assembly seat in 2006; state Sen. Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga), for the Senate race and an earlier Assembly campaign; Elia Pirozzi, who lost his 2004 bid for the Assembly and is now a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge; and Bill Leonard, who won a seat on the state Board of Equalization in 2002.

The charges against the defendants, who are free on their own recognizance, include perjury and filing false documents.

Leggio faces up to six years and eight months in prison, and the others could get three years if they are convicted, Schons said.

Lawyers for the men did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

david.kelly@latimes.com