A leading federal prosecutor in Los Angeles has taken issue with California Attorney General Rob Bonta amid reports of widespread fraud across the state.
Bill Ezeiri, who serves as the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, has voiced criticism of Bonta’s defense of his actions. Bonta reportedly stated that California has struggled to effectively “combat” fraud.
Ezeiri responded directly, asserting, “I said ‘stop.’ A federal office prosecuting fraudsters that California allowed to siphon off millions isn’t ‘fighting fraud.’ The federal government is essentially cleaning up after the missteps of you and the governor.”
He further suggested, perhaps somewhat pointedly, that more focus should be placed on prosecuting local fraudsters rather than pursuing political cases against the Trump administration.
Afterward, Ezeiri continued to challenge Bonta in response to the attorney general’s comments about scammers.
He asked taxpayers whether they believe fraudsters would receive serious prison sentences under California’s crime mitigation legislation.
Ezeiri has been vocal about what he calls “multi-billion” fraud issues within California, stating earlier that Governor Gavin Newsom is in charge of handling billions lost to fraud.
Other critics, like Richard Grenell, have also weighed in, calling Bonta a liar in a tweet, which seems to underscore the tension surrounding the issue.
Bonta, who is responsible for addressing corruption in the state, has accused the Trump administration of trying to politicize the investigation into California’s fraud problem. In response, he emphasized that California has a long history of investigating and prosecuting fraud and intends to keep doing so.
As Bonta approaches re-election in 2026, the criticism continues to mount. Ezeiri, in a recent conversation, pointed out that there are never enough prosecutors to properly tackle fraud investigations in California, despite the leads available.
He remarked, “I would say we are making the most of what we have, and this office is probably more productive than it has been in years. However, our biggest limitation is the need for more quality investigators and attorneys to effectively solve and prosecute cases.”
