FBI Corruption Probe Into Anaheim Mayor Sidhu Stalls the Angel Stadium Sale

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is calling for a 60-day pause on the Angel Stadium land sale –  as the FBI is taking a hard look at Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu for public corruption allegations.

The “FBI learned that the City of Anaheim was tightly controlled by a small cadre of individuals, including SIDHU, a particular member of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, and others,” reads a Thursday affidavit from FBI agent Brian Adkins in Bonta’s court filing.

Sidhu’s attorney, Paul Meyer, declined to comment, saying it would “premature” at this stage to do so, in a Monday text message.

According to the affidavit, Adkins apparently wiretapped the cell phones of people close to Sidhu, capturing conversations and messages between them and Sidhu detailing things like the Mayor’s influence over the city council and Sidhu’s apparent efforts to thwart an OC Grand Jury investigation into the stadium sale.

The FBI agent also turned some of the people closest to Sidhu into federal informants, according to the affidavit. The affidavit is meant to show probable cause that crimes were committed.

A court hearing is scheduled at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at the North Justice Center in Fullerton.

Federal officials allege that Sidhu tried ramming the deal through this year so he could get his reelection campaign financed by the Angels – likely through a political action committee, which typically spends money on mailers and other political advertising.