May 27, 2010
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News: LA Dist Atty Shakes Up City Power Company
Employees of the Los Angeles (LA) County Department of Water and Power (DWP) are in hot water over possible credit card abuse. The LA County District Attorney Steve Coley is looking into allegations that county utility workers may have misappropriated county funds including misusing the utility's corporate credit cards. Two DWP employees appear to be at the center of the investigation which has the city's Ethics Commission probing into the allegations. The authorities have not yet charged anyone with a crime in connection with credit card abuse or misappropriation of funds, however, David Demerjian, of the Cooley Public Integrity Division did say that search warrants were served on two employees. Investigators collected a number of documents from the homes and offices of Akbar Fonooni and Anthony Carone.
Along with the suspected credit card abuse, Demerjian said the city's Ethics Commission in cooperation with his office is looking into allegations of possible misappropriation of county funds. The investigation began when the local KCBS-TV Channel 2 news reported that a county worker was spotted driving around town in a city vehicle while drinking alcohol. The report lead to the termination of two employees and the reassignment of four others while the investigation is underway. It is not known if either Fonooni or Carone are included. Demerjian's office has information regarding the credit card probes and other allegations of employees visiting strip clubs and drinking while on the clock tightly seal.
Although information remains under wraps, an unnamed individual close to the investigation said that it is suspected that at least one employee may have used the county's credit card to purchase an excess amount of supplies with the intent of turning around and selling off the excess for personal gain. In an email, a spokesperson for the LA DWP said that the agency is cooperating fully with the District Attorney's Office. He noted that the agency itself is not under investigation.