City of Bell Hires New City Manager

Michael Antwine’s appointment to the City Manager position occurred during the March 23, 2022, regular city council meeting. His salary will be $205.000 annually.

Antwine previously served as Assistant City Manager in the city of Compton and resigned after former City Attorney turned City Manager Craig Cornwell failed to have the council renew his employment agrrement.

Antwine left under suspicious circumstances after being heavily involved in the disposal of properties held by the Successor Agency with many documents related to those transactions allegedly missing.

Antwine previously served as Compton’s Deputy Redevelopment Director.

State auditors are currently working in Compton with no point of contact from the Cornwell administration to explain the going ons.

“Antwine left us in a tough position,” said a Compton City Hall insider who requested anonymity.

Bell has a majority Latino city council and a Black population of 3%.

Bell was the center of one of the largest public corruption scandals in modern history. 

Seven Bell city officials, including former mayor Oscar Hernandez, former city administrator Robert Rizzo, assistant city administrator Angela Spaccia, and four city council members were convicted on graft and corruption charges, and were given sentences ranging from probation to twelve years in prison. 

Rizzo was sentenced to twelve years’ imprisonment for his role in Bell and to 33 months’ imprisonment in a separate income tax evasion case. Spaccia was sentenced to eleven years and eight months’ imprisonment. Both were also ordered to repay millions of dollars in restitution.

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