The bribery scandal involving two-high ranking school officials that rocked the campus last summer will finally be going to trial.
Richard van Pelt, the former vice president of administrative services and former Facilities Supervisor Alfred Hutchings were fired after the school found out that they were being investigated by the District Attorney’s office for “conflicts of interest.â€
After months of hearings, the trial was finally set for Oct. 15.
In the complaint filed July 26 in Los Angeles Superior Court, LED Global LLC and its two principals Robert Das and Saila Smith accused van Pelt and Hutchings of a host of hedonistic requests on top of a solicitation of bribes.
According to the complaints, van Pelt and Hutchings had offered LED Global a “purchase agreement†to the tune of $5 million for energy-efficient lighting after the company agreed to numerous requests, including expensive travel for van Pelt and Hutchings to Mumbai for a factory site visit.
“During the course of making arrangements for the factory site visit to Mumbai, Hutchings and van Pelt began to make unusual and expensive requests,†the court document says.
The requests included business class travel, accommodation at five star hotels (the Four Seasons in Mumbai), an excursion to the Taj Mahal, more than $2,000 worth of Cuban Cigars, and the demand for prostitutes, which, LED Global denies providing.
Van Pelt and Hutchings also allegedly requested they be paid $250,000 in commission for the contract they made with PCC, and after introducing LED Global to other community colleges, “to be personally paid by [LED Global] a 5 percent commission on the value of any contract entered into between LED Global and any other college in the State of California.â€
These commissions were to be paid to an off-shore bank account, according to the lawsuit.
Van Pelt and Hutchings filed a cross-complaint against LED Global in which they claim “[LED Global] conspired and agreed among themselves that if they did not receive the substantial lighting contract with Pasadena City College, they would instead accuse [van Pelt and Hutchings] of alleged wrongdoing and would seek substantial damages against [van Pelt and Hutchings] to compensation for the lost contract money.â€
This cross-complaint was thrown out on Jan. 10.
The judge ruled that the entirety of their cross-complaint be dropped due to anti-SLAPP motions and complaint objections. SLAPP is a state law preventing frivolous lawsuits designed to discourage individuals for participating in matters of public importance.
Lastly, Hutchings has filed another suit against the district, the president and the school’s legal counsel claiming wrongful termination, defamation, and sexual harassment. That lawsuit is still in the preliminary hearing stages.
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This piece is lacking.
Going to trial? Criminal trial? Civil trial? Did the DA’s office ever file a criminal complaint? If so, what were the charges? If not….what’s taking so long.
HELLO ?????
Bribery requests of cigars and hookers? These guys think they are royalty. In reality they are scumbags hiding behind their PHDs
I don’t know their guilt or innocence, that said, I believe in one being innocent until proven guilty. From all accounts, Alfred Hutchings was an excellent teacher, loved by his students, yet he was not afforded due process, something he is entitled to as a teacher. I expect he will win his wrongful termination suit thereby costing the school significant money for it’s foolish error in judgment.
Dr. Hutchings was liked on campus, however, no one knew about his past. He was fired many times for dishonesty and corruption.
Doesn’t anybody do a background check before they hire? All PCC needed to do was a Google search. Hutchings name and misdeeds are easily found on the internet.
Van Pelt and Hutchings have betrayed the publics trust in them. They are greedy and corrupt.