DA announces charges filed in Palm Springs corruption investigation
KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 will bring you live coverage of the news conference as it happens. Watch on air or online at 10 a.m. Thursday.
(KESQ/CNS) – More than a year after federal officials seized thousands of documents Palm Springs City Hall, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office will be announcing a decision in the investigation. D.A. Mike Hestrin is planning to lead a Thursday morning news conference in his Riverside office.
Hestrin may announce criminal charges stemming from the ongoing investigation into possible corruption involving former Palm Springs city leaders.
KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 have been tracking this case since it broke in September of 2015.
IN-DEPTH: FBI probes Palm Springs city government, mayor It involves potential corruption involving former Mayor Steve Pougnet and his relationships with local developers.
Pougnet’s ties to developer Richard Meaney were brought under federal scrutiny after it surfaced that Pougnet earned more than $200,000 working as a consultant for Meaney’s company Union Abbey, during which time Pougnet was criticized for voting to sell city-owned land to Meaney at far below market value.
As questions swirled, Pougnet announced in May 2015 that he would not seek re-election when his term was set to end later that year.
On Sept. 1, 2015, investigators from the FBI and District Attorney’s Office seized thousands of documents, computers, employee cellphones , canceled checks, emails and letters from City Hall and Pougnet’s home.
Since then, the FBI has released some of the seized documents back to the city, but has revealed little else regarding the scope of its investigation.
More details: What the FBI seized
In Depth: Looking back at 1-year anniversary of FBI raid at Palm Springs City Hall
FBI raid at Palm Springs City Hall One Year Later Documents taken by FBI during raid Residents react to FBI raid Palm Springs getting back to business following raid City Hall reopens What it takes for FBI to get involved Former DA hired by Palm Springs after raid on City Hall Mayor wants review of city attorney, city manager Privacy versus transparency debate Mayor Pougnet says he won’t resign Palm Springs holds special meeting on top staff members
