Los Angeles city councilman charged with embezzlement and perjury

By STEFANIE DAZIO and MICHAEL R. BLOOD
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors charged a Los Angeles city councilman with embezzlement and perjury Tuesday in the latest criminal case to upend the scandal-plagued governing board of the nation’s second-largest city.

Curren Price, Jr. faces five counts of grand theft by embezzlement, three counts of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The office did not release the criminal complaint or any details about the charges.

The council and city government have been shaken by a series of recent scandals.

In March, former Democratic City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas — a one-time legislator, county supervisor and a fixture in local politics for decades — was found guilty in federal court of seven felonies, including conspiracy, bribery and fraud.

Last year, a racism scandal that shook public trust in Los Angeles government triggered the resignation in October of then-City Council President Nury Martinez and a powerful labor leader, Ron Herrera.

After an FBI investigation, two other former council members pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges in recent years.

Former Mayor Eric Garcetti, who left office in December, was shadowed by sexual harassment allegations against one of his former top aides.

Price was first elected to the council in 2013 and currently serves as its president pro tempore. His district includes South Los Angeles and parts of the city’s downtown. His term is set to expire in 2026.

“We have not seen the charges filed against Councilmember Curren Price. It’s highly unusual for charges like this to be brought up against a sitting City Councilmember without any prior notice or discussion,” said Angelina Valencia-Dumarot, a spokesperson for Price, in an email.

She added that Price, “looks forward to defending himself once he’s had an opportunity to address these charges.”

The councilman had attended a city council meeting earlier in the day Tuesday.

Mayor Karen Bass’ office said in a statement that she had not seen the charges but was “saddened by this news.”

Price’s attorney, David Willingham, declined to comment, saying he had not seen a copy of the criminal complaint.

The charges were first reported Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times.