The federal criminal case against Israel Claustro, 50, a former Orange County Superior Court judge, reached its conclusion on Aug. 27, 2026, when a U.S. District Court judge in Santa Ana sentenced him to one year of probation and a $5,000 fine for one count of felony mail fraud. No new filings, appeals, or official statements have surfaced since sentencing.

Claustro, who previously served as an Orange County prosecutor before winning election to the Superior Court bench, admitted to participating in a workers'-compensation fraud scheme with Dr. Kevin Tien Do of Liberty Medical Group. According to prosecutors and court records, the arrangement involved:

• Continuing to refer clients to Do after Do's suspension from practice.
• Submitting medical reports under other licensed physicians' names to conceal Do's involvement.
• Routing fraudulent claims through the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund, a state program intended for workers with pre-existing conditions.

The state paid Liberty Medical Group more than $3 million as a result of the scheme.

Claustro resigned from the bench on Jan. 12, 2026. On March 24, 2026, the California Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP) formally censured him and permanently barred him from holding future judicial office in the state.

The federal probationary term runs one year from sentencing. No civil recovery action or state bar proceeding has been publicly reported in available evidence. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California and the CJP remain the authoritative sources for any future developments.