LOS ANGELES (CN) — Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price Jr. has been charged with embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest, becoming just the latest city leader to be accused of misusing his office.
According to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday by the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, Price had a financial interest, though his wife's consulting business, in city contracts with which he was involved between 2019 and 2021. He also allegedly failed to disclose relationships between his wife's business and companies which had matters pending before the City Council.
Price, 72, said in a statement late Tuesday that he was stepping down immediately from his position as LA City Council President Pro Tempore and all related leadership responsibilities, as well as from all his committee assignments.
"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. "I have had no greater privilege than to serve the people of Los Angeles and specifically the residents of District 9 and I look forward to having the opportunity to continue to be a strong voice for our culturally rich South Central, a part of our city that has long been disenfranchised, overlooked and forgotten."
Price was charged with having a financial interest in projects that he voted on and having the city pay for medical benefits for his now wife while he was still married to another woman, the DA's office said. Between 2019 and 2021, Price’s wife allegedly received payments totaling more than $150,000 from developers before Price voted to approve projects. He is also accused of failing to list the money his wife received on government disclosure forms.
"Today's charges against Councilman Curren Price are the result of a thorough investigation into allegations of public corruption," District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. "This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and erodes the public's trust in our elected officials."
Price is just the latest in a string of high-profile criminal cases this year involving top city leadership. City Councilmember José Huizar this year pleaded guilty to federal charges that he ran a widespread bribery scheme from his City Hall office. Meanwhile, veteran Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas was convicted at trial of trading favors with the University of Southern California to help his son.
Price was charged with five counts of grand theft by embezzlement, three counts of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest.
A Democrat, he has been representing the city's 9th District in South LA since 2013. He has also served in the California State Assembly and the state Senate.
According to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the allegations, Price was the subject of ethics concerns in 2019 after he had voted on agenda items that could affect clients of a consulting company owned by his wife. His name also came up during the FBI investigation of the racketeering enterprise that Huizar ran, the paper said, but Price wasn't charged as part of that bribery investigation.
A spokesperson for Mayor Karen Bass said that the mayor had yet to review the charges filed earlier today but that she was saddened by this news.
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