Melahat Rafiei, the former executive director of the Democratic Party of Orange County and a campaign consultant for Mayor Sepi Shyne’s 2020 race for West Hollywood City Council, has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted wire fraud in Los Angeles federal court.
She admitted to agreeing to bribe two members of the Irvine City Council in exchange for their support of a city ordinance that would allow her clients to open a retail cannabis store in Irvine. Rafiei faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
Rafiei’s plea agreement stated that from April to June 2018, she agreed to give at least $225,000 in bribes to Irvine City Council members to introduce a city ordinance legalizing retail medical cannabis.
She also falsely represented to a commercial cannabis company owner in September and October 2019 that, in exchange for a payment of at least $300,000, she would work to pass a cannabis-related ordinance in Anaheim that would benefit and be specifically tailored for the company owner’s business. Rafiei faces sentencing on October 13.
She was a longtime leader in Orange County’s Democratic Party and had previously served as secretary of the California Democratic Party and state representative to the Democratic National Committee. Rafiei helped get Shyne elected and swore her in to City Council.
Corrupt politicians flock together like birds of a feather, but unlike those birds, they can’t just fly away when things get too hot. They’re more like penguins – waddling around in circles until they’re caught and thrown in the slammer.
Next look into Sepi’s credentials in her DL and/or Birth Certificate regarding race. Did she convert to a “person of color” after marrying Ashleigh so she could have more black supporters and logically initiate black owned/sponsored events Sepi had made many public statements about being a POC. Would she be lying? What else does she lie about.?
Sepi is septic why can we not recall her and get her rid of her forever?
Words fail. Too busy gasping for air laughing my ass off.
Can’t stop laughing.
Recall NOW! Sign the petition!!
ROFL!! Birds of a feather, SEPTIC Shyne!!
Now, they need to do a DEEP dive into Shyne.
Dirty. I hope this person gets the max time and that others will take heed.
Oh my God! This was her best friend. Her lifelong best friend. A crook like Sepi!!! (That is her real name. It’s not the name of a pet cockroach!) Remember when Sepi was sworn in. Announced that she would be working her tail up for people of no color. Oh how sad. She talked about equity. Since there are many actors living in West Hollywood they probably thought she was referring to the actor’s equity union. But this stupid woman is so clueless …..she wouldn’t get the connection. If there’s a God in heaven, remove this woman from office in… Read more »
Giving Sepi every possible benefit of any doubt, I would take a guess she is even worse than this Felon consultant of hers. Maybe someone can get ex Rent Control Commissioner Richard Maggio to emcee the bail hearing.
Not surprised. If there is not a stinking money trail leading through out the Weho commercial real estate sector, attached to Rafiei and Shyne (and probably Erickson) that’s when I’ll be surprised. Her royal highness Shyne doesn’t seem to pay for anything. Ever. Never. Follow the money. And I want to see all expenditures that are related to the dog submitted to the city. I guarantee you, she doesn’t pay one dime toward her dog’s feeding, grooming, insurance and vet bills.
Sepi runs a business charging $125 for long distance energy healing and claims to be able to communicate with animals, that just screams fraud to me. How do these people get elected? Oh right, developer and union money.
🎯🎯🎯
And stupid, uninformed voters.