Huntington, California city hall and mayor's home raided in $14M public funds probe
A city hall building, the mayor's house and some residences of current and former council members in Huntington, California, were raided on Wednesday in a major corruption probe of a $14 million project, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman.
The investigation, named "Operation Dirty Pond," has been focusing on the "potential misuse of millions of dollars in public funds allocated for the construction of an aquatic center" since November 2022, the DA's Office said.
The Huntington Park Regional Aquatic Center, which was deemed "critical" on the city website, was expected to become a two-story building with an Olympic-size pool, gym, football field, conference rooms and more. However, residents never saw any results, according to the city's vice mayor.
"This is a project that has yielded nothing for the residents," vice mayor Arturo Flores said to FOX 11 Los Angeles. "It's my understanding that there's an estimated $14 million, give or take, that has been expended by the city, and that from those funds, the residents of the city have only received an empty lot with dead grass and nothing to show for those millions of dollars."
Fox News Digital also reached out to Huntington Park Mayor Karina Macias and vice mayor Arturo Flores for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Former Huntington Park city councilmember Linda Caraballo reportedly said she sent a 282-page dossier to the DA's Office many years ago to alarm them of alleged corruption. Caraballo said to the local station that "big time city officials from the city manager all the way down to the shot caller" should be prepared.
"Heads are going to roll and a lot of people are going to be really put into some serious problems," Caraballo said to FOX 11. "They all should find lawyers right away."
Valentin Amezquita, another former Huntington Park city councilmember, said to FOX 11 that this may not be the city's only corrupt project and suggests conducting a "forensic audit of the city of current and past contracts."
"This is just the tip of the iceberg," Amezquita said to the local station. "There's many, many more."
Numerous items were seized during the searches, including public records, financial paperwork and electronic devices, according to the DA's Office.
"My office is committed to ensuring that public officials uphold the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and transparency," Hochman said. "When concerns arise about the use of public funds or the actions of those in office, it is our duty to investigate thoroughly and protect the public's trust."
"I want to commend our dedicated prosecutors and investigators for their diligent work on this complex case. Their unwavering commitment to justice ensures that no one — regardless of their position or title — is above the law."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
IOC is in 'best of hands', says Bach as he hands over to Coventry
Kirsty Coventry became the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the most powerful person in sport, on Monday in a handover ceremony with her predecessor Thomas Bach. The Zimbabwean is the first woman and African to head the body and at 41 the youngest since Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who is credited with founding the modern-day Olympics. Advertisement Coventry accepted the Olympic key from Bach, who like her is an Olympic champion -- he won a team fencing gold in 1976 and she earned two swimming golds in 2004 and 2008. Stepping down after a turbulent 12-year tenure, Bach expressed his confidence that the Olympic movement was "in the best of hands" and Coventry would bring "conviction, integrity and a dynamic perspective" to the role. Coventry, who swept to a crushing first-round victory in the election in Greece in March, leans heavily on her family. Aside from her parents, who were present at the ceremony in Lausanne, there is her husband Tyrone Seward, who was effectively her campaign manager, and two daughters, six-year-old Ella, who Bach addresses as "princess", and Lily, just seven months old. Advertisement "Ella saw this spider web in the garden and I pointed out how it is made, and how strong and resilient it is to bad weather and little critters," said Coventry, who takes over officially at midnight Swiss time Monday (2200 GMT). "But if one little bit breaks it becomes weaker. That spider web is our movement, it is complex, beautiful and strong but it only works if we remain together and united." - 'Pure passion' - Coventry said she could not believe how her life had evolved since she first dreamt of Olympic glory in 1992. "How lucky are we creating a platform for generations to come to reach their dreams," she said to a packed audience in a marquee in the Olympic House garden, which comprised IOC members, including those she defeated, and dignitaries. Advertisement "It is amazing and incredible, indeed I cannot believe that from my dream in 1992 of going to an Olympic Games and winning a medal I would be standing here with you to make dreams for more young children round the world." Coventry, who served in the Zimbabwean government as sports and arts Minister from 2019 to this year, said the Olympic movement was much more than a "multi-sport event platform." "We (IOC members) are guardians of this movement, which is also about inspiring and changing lives and bringing hope," she said. "These things are not to be taken lightly and I will be working with each and every one of you to continue to change lives and be a beacon of hope in a divided world. Advertisement "I am really honoured to walk this journey with you." Bach, who during his tenure had to grapple with Russian doping and their invasions of the Crimea and Ukraine as well as the Covid pandemic, said he was standing down filled with "gratitude, joy and confidence" in his successor. "With her election it sends out a powerful message, that the IOC continues to evolve," said the 71-year-old German, who was named honorary lifetime president in Greece in March. "It has its first female and African to hold this position, and the youngest president since Pierre de Coubertin. She represents the truly global and youthful spirit of our community." Advertisement Bach, who choked back tears at one point during his valedictory speech, was praised to the rafters by Coventry, who was widely seen as his preferred candidate of the seven vying for his post. After a warm embrace she credited him with teaching her to "listen to people and to respect them," and praised him for leading the movement with "pure passion and purpose." "You have kept us united through the most turbulent times. "You left us with many legacies and hope, thank you from the bottom of my heart for leading us with passion and never wavering from our values." pi/gj
San Francisco Chronicle
4 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Olympic sprint finalist Knighton at sports court for appeals in doping contamination case
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — United States sprinter Erriyon Knighton went to court Monday to defend his claim he was contaminated in a positive doping test case that risks a ban from the next world championships. A two-time Olympic finalist in the 200 meters aged just 21, Knighton was cleared to run at the Paris Summer Games last year only after an American tribunal ruled he was not at fault for the positive test for trenbolone, a steroid used in livestock farming. The World Anti-Doping Agency and track and field's Athletics Integrity Unit have challenged that ruling in combined appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. CAS has scheduled the appeal hearing for two days and said a verdict is likely within several weeks. The U.S. track and field national championships start July 31 in Eugene, Oregon. They are trials to pick the U.S. team for the 2025 worlds that open Sept. 13 in Tokyo. Knighton's attorney Howard Jacobs suggested last year Knighton could be 'collateral damage' in an ongoing feud between WADA and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, fueled by how a case of alleged contamination of Chinese Olympic swimmers was handled by the global watchdog. USADA prosecuted Knighton's original case after he tested positive in March last year and accepted the 'no-fault' ruling based on the explanation the contamination was by oxtail from a bakery in central Florida. The USADA investigation included obtaining the meat and testing it, plus interviews with the manager of the bakery, Knighton, his girlfriend and his mother. They backed up the athlete's claim of contamination. In the Chinese case, an explanation of contamination with a banned heart medication in a hotel kitchen in 2021 was accepted without evidence backing the theory. WADA lawyers and officials decided the agency was unlikely to win any appeals brought to CAS without being able to gather independent evidence in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knighton is the sixth-fastest 200 runner in track history with a personal best time of 19.49 seconds set in 2022. Usain Bolt's world record is 19.19. He placed fourth in the 200 at past two Olympic Games, and took one silver medal and one bronze from the past two editions of worlds.
Fox Sports
4 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Olympic sprint finalist Knighton at sports court for appeals in doping contamination case
Associated Press LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — United States sprinter Erriyon Knighton went to court Monday to defend his claim he was contaminated in a positive doping test case that risks a ban from the next world championships. A two-time Olympic finalist in the 200 meters aged just 21, Knighton was cleared to run at the Paris Summer Games last year only after an American tribunal ruled he was not at fault for the positive test for trenbolone, a steroid used in livestock farming. The World Anti-Doping Agency and track and field's Athletics Integrity Unit have challenged that ruling in combined appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. CAS has scheduled the appeal hearing for two days and said a verdict is likely within several weeks. The U.S. track and field national championships start July 31 in Eugene, Oregon. They are trials to pick the U.S. team for the 2025 worlds that open Sept. 13 in Tokyo. Knighton's attorney Howard Jacobs suggested last year Knighton could be 'collateral damage' in an ongoing feud between WADA and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, fueled by how a case of alleged contamination of Chinese Olympic swimmers was handled by the global watchdog. USADA prosecuted Knighton's original case after he tested positive in March last year and accepted the 'no-fault' ruling based on the explanation the contamination was by oxtail from a bakery in central Florida. The USADA investigation included obtaining the meat and testing it, plus interviews with the manager of the bakery, Knighton, his girlfriend and his mother. They backed up the athlete's claim of contamination. In the Chinese case, an explanation of contamination with a banned heart medication in a hotel kitchen in 2021 was accepted without evidence backing the theory. WADA lawyers and officials decided the agency was unlikely to win any appeals brought to CAS without being able to gather independent evidence in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knighton is the sixth-fastest 200 runner in track history with a personal best time of 19.49 seconds set in 2022. Usain Bolt's world record is 19.19. He placed fourth in the 200 at past two Olympic Games, and took one silver medal and one bronze from the past two editions of worlds. ___ AP Olympics: in this topic
