A grand jury indicted a former San Mateo Community College District executive last week on 23 felony counts tied to corruption, including fraud, financial misreporting, and conflicts of interest.
Prosecutors allege Ron Galatolo, the district’s former chancellor, favored bidders who provided him with gifts, which he allegedly failed to disclose, and financial benefits for lucrative construction contracts.
Charges stem from a 2019 whistleblower complaint that triggered an investigation into corruption within the district, according to a 2022 press release from San Mateo County. The district, which was under new leadership following Galatolo’s dismissal, cooperated with the inquiry, providing extensive documentation and access to employees.
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According to the investigation, Galatolo reported a $10,000 charitable donation to the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation Fire Relief Fund on his 2017 state income tax return, but the gift was actually made by the San Mateo County College District Foundation.
Galatolo, with the help of former Vice Chancellor of Facilities Jose Nuñez, also allegedly directed construction projects to companies that had provided him with gifts, including concert tickets and international travel, and with whom he shared financial interests, according to prosecutors.
Nuñez pleaded guilty in 2022 to two felony counts of violating the education code by using school funds for political purposes.
Galatolo’s role as chancellor gave him oversight of a $1 billion portfolio of construction contracts across the district’s three campuses: Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College. He served as chancellor for 20 years before his dismissal and was the district’s highest-paid employee, earning $467,700 annually.
The indictment follows months of delays in Galatolo’s preliminary hearings. San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said his office opted for a grand jury indictment after repeated delays, which he attributed to scheduling conflicts with the defense or “witness unavailability.”
“We planned to proceed via a preliminary hearing, but it was dragging on endlessly. We felt it was necessary to move this case forward, so we pursued a grand jury indictment,” Wagstaffe told this news organization. “It was taking forever and kept getting continued. We just felt we needed to move this case along,” Wagstaffe said.
Galatolo’s attorney, Chuck Smith, has not responded to requests for comment.
In response to the indictment, the college district reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The district is pursuing a separate civil lawsuit against firms accused of colluding with Galatolo.
“SMCCCD will continue to pursue its civil lawsuit against construction firms and contractors, alleging they provided Galatolo with gifts in exchange for lucrative district contracts,” the district said in a statement last Friday.
The case, handled by the law firms Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, and Goethals & Stone, PC, is set for trial on June 23, 2025.
“San Mateo County taxpayers and the community college district are victims of fraud,” said Board President John Pimentel. “Our civil suit seeks to hold those involved in fraudulent acts accountable for their actions.”