In a dramatic twist shaking California’s political landscape, the FBI has arrested two public officials on serious felony charges including arson, fraud, and perjury.
Live Oak Vice Mayor Aaron Pamma and Unified School District Trustee Simren Pamma are accused of plotting with a property owner to burn down a farmhouse and submit a fraudulent $200,000 insurance claim. Investigators say the scheme involved falsified documents and a corrupt handyman hired to carry out the arson.
The City of Live Oak acknowledged Vice Mayor Pamma’s arrest but offered few details, saying it is “monitoring the situation.”
Pamma’s attorney called the charges “baseless” and vowed the brothers would fight them “vigorously” in court.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the probe began with a Cal Fire investigation and has widened to expose a possible larger conspiracy. He warned more arrests could soon follow.
