California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) unveiled legislation to crackdown underground economic crimes that affect vulnerable Californians.
Becerra sponsored the Tax Recovery in the Underground Economy (TRUE Act) also known as AB 1296. Gonzalez introduced the bill in the state Assembly.
The Attorney General is committed to combating underground economy. In April, he sponsored Senate Bill 1272 to make the Tax Recovery and Criminal Enforcement (TRaCE) Task Force permanent.
Last year, Becerra announced that California through the TRaCE Task Force recovered lost state revenues from a family operating an underground pharmaceutical business and selling counterfeit merchandise.
Additionally, the TRUE Team’s year-long investigation led to the charges against care home owners for human trafficking and labor abuses, last year.
In 2014, the Attorney General’s office created the TRUE Team pilot program, which is responsible for investigating and prosecuting underground economic crimes in Los Angeles and Sacramento.
Expanding task force responsible for investigating underground economic crimes
In a statement Friday, Becerra said the AB 1296 will expand California’s successful efforts in prosecuting and recovering funds from entities engaged in wage theft, tax evasion, counterfeit commerce, and other economic crimes.
