News Releases
June 18, 2021: Former Downey Employees Charged with Misappropriating Public Funds
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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that two men have been charged with forging invoices to order personal items and then billing the city of Downey over an 18-month period costing the city more than $60,000.
“No one should abuse their position and betray the public’s trust,” District Attorney Gascón said.
Alejandro “Alex” Silva (dob 10/2/73) and Mike Shafer aka Mike Shidfar (dob 1/22/62) were charged in case BA495078 with one felony count each of embezzlement of government funds, misappropriation of public funds and grand theft.
Both men pleaded not guilty today and are scheduled to return on August 27 for a pre-preliminary hearing in Dept 50 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
The case was filed on March 30.
Beginning in 2017, Shafer, who worked as a manager for an auto parts store, allegedly ordered items online with a business credit card and then sent invoices to Downey officials by disguising the items as car parts.
Silva, a lead worker for the city’s maintenance and facilities department, is accused of assisting Shafer by forging the appropriate paperwork to match the forged documents. As a result of this scheme, Downey lost over $60,000, prosecutors said.
The case was investigated by Downey Police Department.
