SAN JOSE / Ex-lawman convicted in big charity scam

SAN JOSE / Ex-lawman convicted in big charity scam: "SAN JOSE
Ex-lawman convicted in big charity scam
Alan Gathright
Saturday, December 11, 2004

A former Santa Clara County sheriff's lieutenant and two other men were convicted Friday in the largest charity scam in county history.
The conviction for the $3.5 million charity fraud underscored former Lt. Armand Tiano's long fall from a powerful lawman who oversaw county jails, presided over the deputies union and made two runs for sheriff to an outlaw convicted of molesting two teenage female relatives in 2001.
Tiano, who retired from the sheriff's office in 1996, was convicted Friday of seven felonies -- including grand theft, embezzlement, tax fraud and money laundering -- for running a phony law-enforcement charity called the 'Santa Clara County Police and Sheriff's Athletic League.' "