Judge in O.C. to plead guilty to fraud

Israel Claustro quits Superior Court post, which he won after campaigning on 'trust.'

- BY ANDREW J. CAMPA

JUDGE Israel Claustro resigned this week.

An Orange County judge resigned Wednesday and declared his intent to plead guilty next week to defrauding a state fund out of thousands of dollars.

Israel Claustro, 50, who touted his ability to help “foster trust in the American justice system” during his 2022 judicial campaign, agreed to plead guilty to one count of mail fraud at his next court date Monday in U.S. Central District Court in Santa Ana.

“Judge Claustro violated the law for his personal financial benefit,” First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli said in a statement. “We will not hesitate to prosecute anyone — judges included — who defraud public benefits intended to help those in need.”

Claustro’s Costa Mesa-based lawyer, Paul S. Meyer, said of his client in an emailed statement: “He takes full responsibility for his actions, and cooperated fully in the investigation.

In good faith, with sadness, he is voluntarily resigning his judicial office.”In the plea agreement, signed Wednesday, the U.S. attorney’s office is asking for home confinement as Claustro’s punishment.

The crime carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, according to the office, and fines totaling tens of thousands of dollars.

A judge will ultimately decide his sentence.