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Two months later, the department announced it was investigating “irregularities” in the permitting process and a “possible long-term scheme to defraud” county residents.

Sam Bankman-Fried, its chief executive, was sentenced to 25 years in prison last year for defrauding customers of billions of dollars.

“I feel sad, defrauded, angry and powerless,” said Maria Hernandez, 50, a longtime Huntington Park resident who attended last week’s court hearing to support the former councilwoman.

For a large monthly membership fee, the website provided its subscribers with access to phishing pages to defraud victims, which had the appearance of legitimate major banking, government and commercial websites but were fake.

Two 23-year-old Southern California men have been indicted on charges of defrauding investors out of more than $22 million in cryptocurrency, according to authorities.