News release
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a motion authored by Chair Kathryn Barger to investigate and address recent allegations of fraud tied to civil claims filed under Assembly Bill 218, the state law authored by Lorena Gonzalez that extended the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse lawsuits.
Thousands of AB 218 claims have been filed against Los Angeles County, many involving individuals formerly in the county’s probation and foster care systems. The first round of settlements for approximately 11,000 plaintiffs will cost $4 billion – of which $1.5 billion will go directly to attorneys’ fees, according to a news release from Barger’s office.
This is the largest financial settlement in county history and there are more claims still pending, the release said.
Barger’s motion directs County Counsel to immediately investigate allegations of misconduct, explore referrals to the California State Bar, strengthen oversight of settlement agreements, and establish a fraud hotline for reporting unethical or fraudulent behavior.
“Fraudulent claims do a grave disservice to survivors of childhood sexual abuse and to taxpayers,” Barger, whose district includes the Santa Clarita Valley, said in the release. “This motion ensures we are protecting both by holding bad actors accountable while maintaining the integrity of a process designed to deliver justice and healing.”
Under the motion approved Oct. 7, County Counsel will report back within 14 days with updates on the claims review process and the implementation of a fraud reporting hotline.
“Every legitimate survivor deserves to be heard, believed, and supported,” Barger added. “But we must make sure that those seeking to exploit this system are stopped in their tracks. This is about accountability, transparency, and ensuring county resources go to those who truly deserve them.”
The release said the settlement claims are forcing the county into the difficult position of cutting off services to its communities with an initial 3% budget curtailment imposed on the majority of county departments. County parks have had to close an additional day each week, limit staffing hours, and shorten pool season.
The Board of Supervisors has also heard from the Public Defender and the District Attorney about the impacts of the funding cuts on their ability to provide legal services.
