June 25, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Judge Issues Stay on Former DWP Worker’s Case

A judge issued a stay today until next April 7 of civil case proceedings involving a former Department of Water and Power audio- visual technician who was among a group of people sued by the City Attorney’s Office for allegedly misappropriating more than $4 million in public funds.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy said the civil case can move forward sooner if criminal proceedings against Thatcus Carl “T.C.” Richard are resolved before the stay expires. Richard’s attorney, James Bryant, had asked that the civil case be put on hold indefinitely until the criminal case was over, citing the possibility his client may have to testify in a deposition and risk the possibility his statements could be used against him by prosecutors.

However, Murphy said the criminal case was filed in 2015 and that he was concerned that no trial date is set. The judge also said he did not want to put an unlimited stay on the civil case.

Murphy denied a request by Richard’s co-defendants that the civil case also be put on hold as to them, noting that none of the others have been criminally charged.

Richard, 65, was charged in June 2015 with 27 felony counts, including misappropriation of public funds, embezzlement and contract fraud. Bryant said Richard is free on bail.

The lawsuit, filed May 25, alleges Richard and his company, Top of the Line Communications Inc., helped direct small contracts for audio-visual work to firms owned by friends. Those companies in return allegedly subcontracted with a firm owned by Richard, paying him more than $1 million.

About 146 separate contracts with a total value of more than $4.4 million were awarded to Richard and the other defendants as part of the illegal scheme between 1992 and 2014 according to the lawsuit.

“Over a course of 22 years, Richard, with the assistance of the other defendants, orchestrated a bid-rigging scheme whereby Richard steered contracts to various sham companies set up by (Richard’s) accomplices,” the suit alleges.

The suit’s allegations include fraud, conspiracy to defraud and violations of the state’s False Claims Act. The complaint seeks both compensatory and punitive damages as well as up to $11,000 for each alleged violation of the False Claims Act.

The alleged bid-rigging scheme was conducted by Richard and the others in a “secret and deceptive manner such that the city was unable to make earlier discovery of the scheme despite use of reasonable diligence,” the suit states.

The city first suspected the alleged wrongdoing in October 2013 during a probe by city investigators into a tip that Richard was using stolen city audio-visual equipment for personal use, according to the lawsuit.

The investigators combed through years of invoices, bidding records and other city documents and “painstakingly pieced together the full scope of the bid-rigging scheme by Richard and the other defendants,” according to the lawsuit.

 

463518799

Related Posts

Masked Federal Agents Detain Female Iranian Asylum Seeker in Westwood

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

31-Year-Old Woman was Hospitalized After Possible Medical Emergency On Tuesday, June 24, between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., near the...

Los Angeles Leaders Push to Ban Masks for Federal Agents Amid Immigration Raids

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

Concerns Grow Over Anonymous ICE and CBP Officers in Los Angeles   A growing coalition of California lawmakers and local leaders...

(Video) Food Fight: Chefs Join Forces to Raise Money to Protect Immigrant Families in Venice

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

Estrano, Little Dynamite, Sunday Gravy, Kabob Senpai Answer the Call From Turk’s Pizza Party. Dave Turkel Put This Food Resistance...

Squatter-Plagued Beverly Grove Buildings Could Be Razed After Hazard Cleanup

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

Demolition of Three Abandoned Apartments May Begin in Two Weeks Three abandoned apartment buildings in Beverly Grove may soon be...

From Westwood to DTLA, Angelenos March Against Military Escalation in Iran

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

Protestors Rally at the Westwood Federal Building This Weekend Following President Donald Trump’s authorization of airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear-related...

LAPD Sergeant Killed Assisting Crash Victims on 405 Freeway in Brentwood

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

Tragic Early-Morning Collision Claims Two Lives, Including Veteran Sergeant Two people, including an LAPD sergeant, were killed early Monday in...

Recent Homebuyer Down Payments Slip for First Time in Nearly Two Years

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

April’s Median Down Payment Fell as Buyers Lean Toward Lower-Cost Homes The median down payment made by U.S. homebuyers dropped...

Del Rey Affordable Housing Project to Rise on Former Charter School Site

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

Community Corp., Local Faith Group Team Up to Build 122 New Apartments Plans are moving forward for a new residential...

Paris Hilton Buys Mark Wahlberg’s Beverly Park Mansion for $63.1M

June 22, 2025

June 22, 2025

The Heiress and Media Mogul Joins a Star-Studded Neighborhood Paris Hilton and husband Carter Reum have purchased a high-profile estate...

A.O.C. Brentwood to Close After 16 Years on San Vicente Boulevard

June 22, 2025

June 22, 2025

Chef Goin and Styne Cite Unsustainably High Rent in Decision to Close  A.O.C. Brentwood, the acclaimed Westside outpost from James...

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...

LA City Councilwomen Yaroslavsky and Jurado Call for Legal Action Against Federal Immigration Raids

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

City Motion Targets Alleged Unconstitutional Tactics, End Qualified Immunity for Fed Officers  City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Ysabel Jurado introduced...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

Princess Diana’s Largest Wardrobe Auction Set for Beverly Hills

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Over 200 Royal Garments to Hit the Auction Block for Charity More than 200 garments and royal artifacts, including the...

Queer Beauty Through the Ages: Getty Hosts Lecture on Greek Art’s Influence on LGBTQ Aesthetics

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Art Historian to Trace Homoerotic Imagery From Ancient Greece to Modern Queer Identity As part of its ongoing Pride Month...