Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

News

Former LA City Councilman Mitch Englander Agrees To Plead Guilty To One Count In Corruption Scandal

Englander, his wife, attorney and reporters leaving the federal courthouse in downtown LA. earlier this month. (Libby Denkmann/ LAist)
()

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today. 

Federal prosecutors said today that former L.A. City Councilman Mitch Englander has:

"Agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge stemming from his obstruction of a public corruption investigation related to his acceptance of gifts – including cash, hotel rooms and expensive meals – from a businessman during trips to Las Vegas and Palm Springs in 2017."

The agreement was filed in federal court this morning, according to the news release. Englander, federal officials said, agreed to plead guilty to one count of scheming to falsify material facts.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to seven counts of violating federal anti-corruption law.

The other counts will be dropped.

Support for LAist comes from

The indictment says the gifts were from an as-yet unnamed business person to get approvals for a real estate development.

Englander faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

READ THE PLEA AGREEMENT

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist