A Democrat Los Angeles Metropolis Councilman has been charged with corruption for embezzling $800,000.
The Los Angeles DA filed two new fees in opposition to Curren Value this week alleging the embezzlement of public funds and awarding contracts for his personal monetary achieve.
Value was first hit with 5 embezzlement fees in 2023. He pleaded not responsible to the costs.
“Embezzling public funds and awarding contracts on your personal monetary achieve is the antithesis of public service,” Los Angeles County District Legal professional Nathan Hochman said. “Our communities count on and deserve higher from their public officers. I thank our investigative workforce and prosecutors within the Public Integrity Division for diligently pursuing each lead and holding elected officers accountable. Self-dealing and pay-to-play politics won’t be tolerated in Los Angeles County.”
Per the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office:
The Los Angeles County District Legal professional’s Workplace has filed two new public corruption fees in opposition to Los Angeles Metropolis Councilmember Curren Value after uncovering proof that town’s housing authority and LA Metro paid Value’s spouse greater than $800,000 whole on the identical time Value voted to award the businesses multimillion-dollar contracts.
Curren De Mille Value Jr. has been the Los Angeles Metropolis Councilmember for the Ninth District since 2013. Like all different councilmembers, he’s prohibited from having a monetary curiosity related to any mission that comes earlier than the Metropolis Council.
Value (dob 12/16/50) was charged on June 13, 2023, in case BA515782 with 5 felony counts of embezzlement of presidency funds, three felony counts of perjury and two felony counts of battle of curiosity.
The ten felony counts allege that Del Richardson & Associates, an organization owned solely by Value’s spouse, Delbra Pettice Richardson, obtained funds totaling greater than $150,000 between 2019 and 2021 from builders earlier than he voted to approve initiatives.
Value can also be accused of embezzling roughly $33,800 in metropolis funds from 2013-2017 to pay for medical advantages for Richardson, who he falsely claimed was his spouse whereas nonetheless legally married to Lynn Suzette Value.
Value pleaded not responsible to those fees on Dec. 15, 2023. He was launched on his personal recognizance.
Subpoenas within the case yielded further proof of public corruption. On Aug. 11, prosecutors filed an amended grievance alleging two further counts of battle of curiosity. The grievance consists of an appendix of 39 reveals of proof of the funds and Value’s voting historical past.
Between Oct. 22, 2019, and June 30, 2020, the Housing Authority of the Metropolis of Los Angeles allegedly paid Del Richardson & Associates roughly $609,600. Throughout this time, Value voted to help a $35 million federal grant and a state grant software for $252 million for the company.
Value’s employees had flagged the merchandise of curiosity previous to the votes.
Between Oct. 27, 2020, and Oct. 20, 2021, LA Metro paid Del Richardson & Associates roughly $219,500. Throughout this time, Value introduced and voted in favor of a movement to award $30 million to LA Metro.
Value’s employees had flagged the battle of curiosity previous to the votes.
It’s additional alleged that Value took benefit of his place in metropolis authorities to award metropolis lease agreements and over $2 million in federal COVID-19 grants to the nonprofit House at Final. House at Final was a paying tenant of the City Healthcare Mission on the time of the votes. Value served as CEO of City Healthcare Mission through the time of those votes. These funds have been meant for homelessness efforts.
