PACOIMA : Inspector Accused of Customs Fraud

A U.S. Customs inspector has been charged with taking bribes from the owner of a Pacoima clothing company and a former company executive in a scheme to evade more than $2.67 million in duties, federal authorities said Friday.

An indictment by a federal grand jury this week accused the inspector, Mark Steven Verdugo, of fraudulently allowing importation of women’s clothing made in Taiwan, in exchange for bribes from the alleged co-conspirators, Martin Alan Feldman, owner of Le Chois Inc., and Edward Talamantes Jr., a former vice president of the company.

In addition, Le Chois Inc., Feldman, Talamantes and Howard Regen, another former vice president of the firm, were charged with falsely describing the clothing to the U.S. Customs Service and understating its value and quantity.

Assistant U.S. Atty. John Potter said the alleged conspiracy began in 1988 and has been the target of an investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office and the U.S. Customs Service. He said arraignment is expected in two or three weeks.