cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15940107
Dennis Falaschi charged in multi-million dollar scheme as records show he wasn’t only one to take water from California’s farm region
A former California water official has pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal water in a deal with federal prosecutors in the state’s crop-rich central valley.
The Los Angeles Times reports Tuesday that 78-year-old Dennis Falaschi, who used to head the Panoche water district, entered the plea in federal court in Fresno. He also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return.
Falaschi was accused in a case that alleged that more than $25m in water was stolen over two decades when it was siphoned from a federal irrigation canal through a secret pipe and sold to farmers and other water districts. The Panoche water district supplies irrigation for farmland in Fresno and Merced counties – much of it from the federal Delta-Mendota canal.
Authorities said in court documents that Falaschi wasn’t the only one taking water, but did not specify who else was involved. They estimated Falaschi stole less than $3.5m in water, a small portion of what they initially alleged had been stolen.
No. Im sorry, No. This has got to be The Onion. This is like the children’s cartoon Bond Villain version of a scheme. This is beyond insane. Come on!
As climate change continues to accelerate, expect more of these stories and expect them to soon start including violence.
Water cannons?
it’s like we have all watched these dystopian future movies and instead of heeding their warning, we all said “hold my beer”.
What do you mean children’s cartoon bond villain? Wasn’t taking over the water the plot in the second Daniel Craig Bond movie?
First shot fired in the Water Wars.
Just wait until patrols are added and cults start making trips to pray to such quantities of water.
Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, it’s a straw, you see? Watch it. Now my straw reaches across the room and starts to drink your milkshake. I… drink… your… milkshake. I drink it up!
I was only 10 hours late to make this joke
What scum
“Don’t mess wit te aqua!”
https://kbin.social/m/[email protected]/t/1062249/Flood-water-use#entry-comment-6881433
Here’s my half baked response.
They can pipeline oil over thousands of miles.
Why can’t they pipeline water?
Oh shit. I think Nestlé heard me and all of our money goes to blowing up Palestinians, not giving drinkable water to Flint.
Disregard please.
11 hours ago in a post asking why America cant build infrastructure to collect flood water to be used during dry season/in regions that lack potable water…
