MAJOR Allegations against Armando Garcia of CSAC

[Clint]

Part #1: 15Rounds.com - The Boxing Channel

MEMO TO:
June Collison
Dr. Christopher Giza
Peter Lopez
Tim Noonan
Julio Ramirez
Mario Rodriguez
Howard Rose

On Tuesday February 5, 2008 at the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), working under the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), meets in Sacramento at 10 a.m. Included on the agenda under closed session will be a hearing on the “continuation of the evaluation of the executive officer,” according to the DCA website.

That executive officer is Armando Garcia who might be recalled by regular readers as the subject of a two part investigative series run here last September. The story concerned Garcia’s alleged violation of Chapter 18, article 6308 of the Professional Boxing Act of 1996.

Article 6308, entitled “Conflicts of Interest,” states in part, “No member who administers or enforces state boxing laws…may belong to, contract with, or receive any compensation from any person who sanctions, arranges, or promotes boxing matches…” The penalty upon conviction is not more than one year’s imprisonment and a fine not to exceed $20,000 or both.

The series made the case that Garcia violated this federal law by accepting compensation, accommodations, travel and meals for training seminars from sanctioning bodies and state commissions, using as evidence taped interviews, copies of emails, documents, and multiple sources including other executive officers, judges, referees, promoters, sanctioning bodies, commissions and other sources.

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or write me at mswann4@aol.com and I will send you a copy.

Despite what appears to be overwhelming evidence, Mr. Garcia survived the expose unscathed, at least by all appearances. He was not imprisoned, fined or removed from his position. I also know from personal experience that some major media outlets expressed interest in pursuing our investigation, but regrettably either had a change of heart or perhaps didn’t have the heart to bring about change.

Recently more sources came forward, former insiders of the Garcia administration, and some current officials. However you want to categorize these people, be it disgruntled current and former employees or courageous whistle blowers, their claims seem well supported based on facts and personal experience. So far they have passed every test that I have put forward as to their veracity.

One such tenacious insider of 14 years provided documentation of letters sent and exchanged with commission members and the personnel office of the DCA, as well as some invaluable eye witness and technical information. An influential boxing insider said that this source, “knows where the bodies are buried.”

THE TRAVEL CONUNDRUM

While on medical leave, my source received a call from Garcia to review his outstanding travel claims, stated to be about $4,000, and Garcia had been denied an advance to travel to San Jose for an event. She had processed his travel claims and requests prior to her illness without incident, handing the documents back to him upon completion. After review, she determined that he did in fact owe money, but a significantly lesser amount. She declined his request to teach another staff member to review and process “uncollected accounts,” as she was on sick leave and felt that he was very unhappy about it.

In a travel advance, the state prefers that you use approved hotel that give a state rate and the state is not charged taxes. For example, the Hilton may be approved at a rate of $100 per night. Yet for some reason when Garcia and company would arrive at different locations where the arrangements had been made in advance secured by the source’s credit card, the group would then drive around looking for a budget hotel such as a Motel 6.

Garcia and a subordinate would then share a room and the subordinate would pay for the room. In addition, the employees would normally pay for all meals, parking, and general expenses.

On a travel claim advance, the employee receives a check from the department prior to the trip, so Garcia would already have received the advance. Included was the following on a Travel Claim Advance “Pre Show.” These examples are for two nights:

Hotel $100 x 2 = $200
Parking $12 x 2 = $24
Per Diem:
Breakfast $6 x 2 =$12
Lunch $10 x 2 = $20
Dinner $18 x 2 = $36
Incidentals $6 x 2 = $12
Total $324

Mileage is 50 cents per mile and can be collected if using your own car to travel to weigh-in, events, and to/from the airport or even if someone drives you to/from the airport.

In the Travel Expense Claim “Post Show,” you are supposed to attach all receipts to your claim so that either you owe the state or they owe additional monies to you.

Hotel $40 x 2 = $80 (The Motel 6)
Parking $0 x 2 = $0 (Free at hotel)
Per Diem:
Breakfast $0 (Ineligible at hotel with Continental Breakfast)
Lunch $10 x 1= $10 (Not eligible on first day due to late departure)
Dinner $18 x 2 =$36
Parking $17 x 1 =$17 (At Event venue)
Incidentals $6 x 2 =$12
Total $155
Under this scenario the state would be owed $169.

But there’s something here that doesn’t ring true. Why would someone who was authorized for upscale accommodations choose to find a cheaper room and sleep with a subordinate rather than have his own private room?

Further, parking, meals, mileage, and incidentals do not require a receipt. If a man was to allow his faithful employees to treat for meals and parking, he could double dip up to $124, plus mileage if so inclined, regardless of the hotel tab.

My informant told Garcia that she disliked the cheaper hotels. She felt unsafe and she told him that they would have to repay the state for the difference of monies received.

I might suggest to the commission that these travel claims be audited, as it strains credibility to believe that anyone would go through these machinations to present an honest claim.

THE WEALTHY FILE CABINET

Checks for fees, taxes ect. came in regularly to the DCA/CSAC. After returning to work from illness my source was faced with a huge backlog. I’m told that while the office had a safe, no one had the combination, or at least wouldn’t admit to it. As a result it became the practice to place the funds in a file cabinet.

At its worst the file cabinet may have accumulated as much as $350,000. After my informant and the DCA cashiering unit came in on a Saturday to do the “backlog” of cashiering, entering approximately $130,000 on the day, Garcia took the credit when all he did was update the form created by the DCA cashiering team.

I only ask: Would you consider sticking that amount of the state’s money in a file cabinet as evidence of running a tight ship?

INSPECTOR 13

Allegations were made by others and confirmed that event inspectors might work as few as one or two bouts then watch the show while still claiming a full night’s pay. Recently, 13 inspectors were scheduled for an event, certainly no fault of their own, but wasteful, at best.

Inspectors are paid for six hours for small shows, eight hours for large shows such as MMA or Kickboxing that usually have more rounds than boxing. They also receive four hours pay when scheduled for a weigh in.

Inspectors are paid from the time that they leave home at $20.00 per hour, except in the case of overtime when time and a half is received. They also 50 cents per mile in travel and $18 for dinner. If they travel 100 miles or more they can claim hotel, breakfast, lunch and dinner as noted above.

Part 2: 15Rounds.com - The Boxing Channel

MEMO TO THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION PART TWO

By Michael Swann

HARASSMENT

The charge has been made by more than a few people that Armando Garcia operates a hostile work environment. His angry, profanity laced outbursts have been displayed in front of subordinates. Further, several have come forward to complain about favoritism of event officials. Here are some examples:

* A verbal tirade at ringside during a televised event using inappropriate language as he yelled at the referee and corners to, “Stop the (bleeping) fight. The fighter is getting the (bleeping bleep) beat out of him.” With that he slammed a chair at the ringside table, hitting a subordinate’s arm before stomping off, still spitting out his rancorous invectives.

* Referred to a referee as “too fat” to work TV events.

*Singled out a judge as not being allowed to sit within camera sight on TV.

*A referee/judge came under scorn for his tattoos and overall appearance.

*Garcia has made personal phone calls to referee Raul Caiz Sr., informing Caiz of his assignments in California and out of the country, and has suggested to various sanctioning bodies to use one of his “best officials” in California. Raul Caiz Jr. and Jon Schorle have received similar favorable treatment.

*Some of his goals include the termination of Chief Inspector Dean Lohuis, and retire “old” officials.

*Garcia makes a “Post Show” speech dripping in profanity and negativism with all working officials and inspectors, and then ends the meeting with “God Bless.”

*A female office technician, whose name we will withhold at this time, has been observed fixing his attire at events, in the office, and in the field. The same technician has been seen “hand feeding” him. While in itself, this is not evidence of any further inappropriate behavior, it might be construed as “third party harassment.” Others in the office could question perceived favoritism because they choose not to adjust his attire.

*Garcia called Dean Lohuis during a televised event when he was away on an ABC seminar to tell Lohuis that a judge looked ridiculous with “sunglasses” and for him to remove them.

* An inspector who lives in Sacramento who was scheduled to work a UFC event in Sacramento was removed from the assignment in favor of an inspector from Southern California. She called Garcia’s cell phone to request a comp ticket or non working credential. He did not return her call. Yet, sitting in the front row at the event were the sons of Florida judge and Garcia crony Richard Beltran, and the son of the office technician mentioned previously, along with his girlfriend and another friend.

A source adds that, “No one will step forward or file a grievance or complain because they might get transferred.”

INTEGRITY

*When Garcia was doing his ABC (Association of Boxing Commissions) training seminars, he was often difficult to reach through his state issued cell phone or his voice mail would be full and unable to receive messages.

* Garcia told a source that the expenses for the ABC training seminars, flight, accommodations, ect. would be taken care of by (Nevada judge) Duane Ford and later collected by the ABC. He was then told that this was a conflict of interest. Garcia replied that he had cleared all “out of the office” activities with the ABC with Anita Scuri, the legal advisor for the DCA/CSAC.

* Garcia has been known to accept gifts from officials.

*It was common practice for Garcia to accept lunches from various promoters.

(Note: Through the Freedom of Information Act, we obtained copies of the three years of Garcia’s Conflict of Interest disclosure report, Form 700. Garcia failed to claim any additional compensation for training or speaking engagements, nor did he claim travel, gifts, or anything else. According to Garcia, he had “No Reportable Interests on any Schedule” since he took the position. I hope that the IRS is as understanding as the DCA.)

AND…

* In the controversial Marco Antonio Barrera-Rocky Juarez I fight, the scores had to be re-tallied after HBO went off the air with a draw rather than a thin split decision win for Barrera after a 10-10 round score that was miscalculated.

During that fight Garcia informed representatives from the WBO and WBC the scores of the judges round by round. Further, he gave the result to the WBO and WBC before handing the cards to ringside announcer Michael Buffer, results that turned out to be incorrect.

Apparently, this was common practice with Garcia to inform the sanctioning body president and/or their representatives of the scores, according to the person who watched him do it. Potentially, they in turn could tell the corners by word or sign that their fighter was winning and/or losing. I would hope that the commission would agree with me that this is a serious breach of the public trust.

The source said that she had informed him several times in the past that that is why the master score sheet is turned over -- to prevent anyone from seeing the scores. To this day she sincerely regrets allowing him to intimidate her into allowing him “to do what he has always done.”

She has submitted a written statement on the matter, going into great detail, describing Garcia sharing the scores, and then laughing with them as they joked about the judges.

IN CONCLUSION

It should be noted that this former employee has been coerced into taking early retirement. Garcia had invited her while she was on sick leave in 2006 to attend a show and be present for a ceremony on his behalf. He told her that he and (the unnamed office technician) would pick her up so she wouldn’t have to drive.

She says that she was seen on TV and Garcia received a call from then DCA Director Zettle. Garcia, “out of his mind with anger” talked to her about “getting their stories straight” in an outburst of profanity. He had another party drive her home, the party drilling her to stick to Garcia’s story.

“It really scared me with his outburst and his actions,” she said.

A year later, while on an unpaid medical leave of absence she was at an event in a non working capacity. She momentarily assisted a promoter with a “new revised promoter/bout contract” simply out of courtesy and respect and three days later she was accused by letter of working the event for the promoter, a violation while on leave, paid or otherwise.

Feeling hostility and pressure from the athletic commission, the DCA and the DCA personnel office, she filed for early retirement.

The promoter in question said that she was not working and she was not paid. The entire matter, so similar to the 2006 incident, smacks of a retaliatory set up.

FINALLY…

To the Members of the Commission:

If you have read my previous piece on Garcia’s alleged wrongdoing and violation of federal law, and if you have read both parts of this series and you still don’t question the wisdom of keeping Armando Garcia in power, then maybe you deserve him and I’m afraid that you will ultimately reap what you sow.

Is this really the type of person that you want as the face of California boxing and MMA as the executive officer? Is this the standard of honesty and integrity that will represent your state? California is a high profile state and is therefore a much sought after venue for the sport. It is my sincere hope that the state will take a proactive position and condemn this misuse of power.

[jesusatemyhotdog]

This guy needs to take a writing class.

[Clint]

Yeah the article is long and tough to read at points but if half of the shit he is claiming is true, then wow.

[Ramma]

Originally Posted by Clint

Yeah the article is long and tough to read at points but if half of the shit he is claiming is true, then wow.

Yeah, he is worse than Dickens (not tough to read, just boring).

And that is a lot of shit.. there is no surprise to me that this guy comes out of CSAC lol

[Clint]

Originally Posted by Ramma

Yeah, he is worse than Dickens (not tough to read, just boring).

And that is a lot of shit.. there is no surprise to me that this guy comes out of CSAC lol

Shit he is the head of the CSAC. If I was an MMA org, I would be telling California to get their shit together before I would be coming back.

[The Sundance Kid]

Synopsis?

[Moriason]

Originally Posted by The Sundance Kid

Synopsis?

Garcia sucks.

[thebwit]

Originally Posted by Moriason

Garcia sucks.

Bwahahahaha rep'd!

[valheruking]

Originally Posted by jesusatemyhotdog

This guy needs to take a writing class.

Yes

Originally Posted by Clint

if half of the shit he is claiming is true, then wow.

.... and yes, although some of it seems pretty minor and nitpicking imo

[Severn]

Originally Posted by Ramma

Yeah, he is worse than Dickens (not tough to read, just boring).

And that is a lot of shit.. there is no surprise to me that this guy comes out of CSAC lol

Well Dickens got paid by the word hence the long sentences and rough read.

And yeah this just adds on to the suspicions I have of the CSAC.