April 11, 2002

LATINO MEDIA EXECUTIVE INDICTED FOR THEFT AND TAX FRAUD

 A former executive for a Latino-interest media consortium has been indicted for misappropriating federal funds earmarked for the non-profit center and for failing to report the ill-gotten income on his federal tax returns.
 Jose Luis Ruiz, 57, the former executive director of the National Latino Communications Center was named in a three count indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles.
 NLCC produces syndicated programming for a Latino audience. The programming is broadcast on public television and is supported by grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The indictment specifically alleges that Ruiz misappropriated NLCC funds during the 1996 fiscal year while he was the executive director of NLCC.
 CPB provided grants of approximately $1 million to NLCC in the 1995 fiscal year and more than $700,000 in the 1996 fiscal year.
 The indictment also alleges that Ruiz failed to report $50,000 of income on his 1995 Federal income tax return and $30,000 in income on his 1996 Federal income tax return. The $80,000 in unreported income was NLCC funds that Ruiz misappropriated while acting as executive director of the organization.
 The arraignment for Ruiz has not yet been scheduled.
 An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
 If convicted of all three counts in the indictment, Ruiz faces a maximum possible sentence of 16 years in federal prison.
 This case is a result of a joint investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence Middleton
   (213) 894-5010

Release No. 02-063

Return to the 2002 Press Release Index.

Return to the Home Page