Los Angeles city councilmember charged with 10 counts, including embezzlement and perjury

A Los Angeles city councilmember is stepping down from his position after he was charged Tuesday with 10 counts of embezzlement, perjury, and conflict of interest, pushing the leadership of the nation's second-largest city into further scandal.

Prosecutors charged Curren Price, Jr. with five counts of embezzlement of government funds, 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 immediately release the criminal complaint or provide details about the charges.

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

Following the announcement, Price said he has made "the painful decision to step down" from his position as Los Angeles City Council President Pro Tem but is not resigning.

"While I navigate through the judicial system to defend my name against unwarranted charges filed against me, the last thing I want to do is be a distraction to the people's business," Price said in a letter to city council president Paul Krekorian.

Price's charges are the latest in a series of scandals and criminal allegations that have shaken Los Angeles, which has seen several former members resign or be federally charged over the past year.

Details on allegations against Curren Price, Jr.

Price was first elected to the city council in 2013 and assumed his position as president pro tempore in Oct. 2022. His term is set to expire in 2026.

Prosecutors charged Price for having a "financial interest in projects that he voted on" as a councilmember and for having the city pay for about $33,800 in medical benefits "for his now wife while he was still married to another woman," Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.

Price's wife allegedly received payments that totaled more than $150,000 from developers before he voted to approve projects between 2019 and 2021, according to Gascón's statement. He is also accused of failing to list the payments on government disclosure forms.

"Today's charges against Councilman Curren Price are the result of a thorough investigation into allegations of public corruption," Gascón said. "This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and erodes the public's trust in our elected officials."

According to Gascón, Price is prohibited from having a financial interest in any project that was before the city council. The case is under investigation by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.

Angelina Valencia-Dumarot, a spokesperson for Price, said the councilmember had not seen the charges filed against him prior to the announcement.

"It's highly unusual for charges like this to be brought up against a sitting City Councilmember without any prior notice or discussion," Valencia-Dumarot said in an email to the Associated Press.

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

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Los Angeles city government marred by scandals, allegations

The city council and government have recently been inundated with criminal allegations and scandals.

Last year, a racism scandal rocked the city's leadership after a leaked audio recording spurred fury and protest. The incident led to the resignation 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.

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

The long-time local politician was accused of providing political support for "lucrative county contracts and contract amendments" with the University of Southern California in exchange for "substantial benefits" for his son, federal prosecutors said.

Former Mayor Eric Garcetti, who left office in December, faced a series of controversies, including sexual harassment allegations against one of his former top aides.

According to Jaime Regalado, former executive director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, the series of scandals has caused a cumulative effect on residents and "makes the whole body politic of L.A. look rotten, look illegal."

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Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA city councilmember Curren Price Jr. charged with embezzlement