The head of a company that has managed apartments for thousands of Los Angeles’ neediest residents has agreed to pay a $170,000 fine stemming from allegations that he engaged in a decade-long scheme to launder campaign contributions, according to city documents…
The commission began investigating after The Times reported that subcontractors of ADI said they had been pressured by the company to make contributions or risk losing additional work on taxpayer-subsidized projects. As a result of the probe, the agency has recommended a $170,000 fine for Peter Barker, president of Barker Management, Inc., an Orange County-based property management firm retained by ADI.
Ethics investigators contend that over a dozen years, Barker reimbursed his employees or their spouses for 68 contributions given to an array of city campaigns, including the mayoral bids of City Controller Wendy Greuel, City Councilman Eric Garcetti and Councilwoman Jan Perry. That practice, known as campaign money laundering, allowed Barker to bypass city laws restricting the size of campaign donations.
Barker reimbursed 11 mayoral contributions — six for Greuel, three for Garcetti and two for Perry. The city did not find any wrongdoing by the politicians who accepted the money.
Other beneficiaries of Barker’s laundered contributions were Council President Herb Wesson, Council members Bernard Parks and Ed Reyes and council candidate Jose Gardea, who is currently running to replace Reyes, according to the report.
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