California US Attorney Bill Essayli Shares FBI Link To Report ‘California State Officials Engaged in Illegal Activity’

The showdown between the Trump administration and California related to illegal immigration and public corruption took another interesting turn on Wednesday in announcements from Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and First Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Central District of California Bill Essayli.

In a press release, Attorney General Bonta asks California residents to report “potentially unlawful activity” by federal immigration agents and related federal personnel tasked with enforcing federal immigration law. The California Department of Justice now provides an online form for complaints.

“Members of the public may use this form to report (including submitting video footage or photographic evidence) potentially unlawful activity in California by federal agents or personnel, such as officers or agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or federalized National Guard soldiers or airmen. Federal agents have broad authority to enforce federal laws, including federal immigration laws, but they must do so lawfully. Examples of potentially unlawful activity by federal law enforcement agents include use of excessive force, unlawful searches or arrests, wrongful detentions, interference with voting, or other civil-rights violations,” Bonta announced.

In response, Essayli announced that California residents can report California state officials engaged in illegal activity, including a link to the FBI.

We have a portal too. People can report California state officials engaged in illegal activity at the following link:https://t.co/clYnZnrwmp https://t.co/EjQgkJiNtw

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) December 3, 2025

Upon his appointment, Essayli announced the formation of the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force. The Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force, which will investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption involving funds allocated toward the eradication of homelessness within the seven-county jurisdiction of the Central District of California.

“California has spent more than $24 billion over the past five years to address homelessness,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “But officials have been unable to account for all the expenditures and outcomes, and the homeless crisis has only gotten worse. Taxpayers deserve answers for where and how their hard-earned money has been spent. If state and local officials cannot provide proper oversight and accountability, we will do it for them. If we discover any federal laws were violated, we will make arrests.”

Six months later, Essayli announced that the task force filed fraud charges against two men who allegedly defrauded the government of $50 million of homelessness funding.

“Today’s developments are an important first step in holding public officials and companies involved in combatting homelessness responsible. Our investigations are ongoing,” he added.

California has spent billions of taxpayer dollars to combat its homelessness crisis with very little to show for it. Six months ago, I announced the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force. Today, we begin to hold people accountable by announcing two cases where more than… pic.twitter.com/jUFpLhBmsZ

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) October 16, 2025

As the investigations are ongoing, so is Bonta’s explanations of using $500,000 of his 2026 campaign funds for legal representation in a federal bribery investigation.

KCRA reports:

When KCRA 3 first reported the expense on Monday, Bonta’s campaign claimed the money was meant to “help” federal investigators in their probe that resulted in the indictment of the ex-mayor of Oakland and the Duong family, who were Bonta’s donors.

KCRA 3 followed up on Tuesday, pressing the campaign on whether that was a permissible use of campaign funds and specifics around the legal expenses. Dan Newman, Bonta’s reelection campaign adviser, then confirmed Bonta used the money to hire attorneys to help him as he answered questions from federal investigators.

Newman said Bonta is not and was never a target of the investigation and said the use of funds was “absolutely proper.” He said it was necessary to use campaign funds “because of the nature of the charges against the people implicated.”

Newman confirmed the money was not used to help his wife, Assemblymember Mia Bonta.

Last month the Globe reported Dana Williamson, Governor Gavin Newsom’s former Chief of Staff, was arrested by the FBI in a public corruption probe. According to the DOJ, Williamson has been indicted and accused of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, to defraud the United States.

Williamson’s attorney McGregor Scott, a former U.S. Attorney, told the media that the FBI had also asked Williamson to assist with an investigation into Newsom, but she told them she had no knowledge of any wrongdoing on his part.