Overview

• The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to investigate possible misconduct connected to AB 218 claims resolved in the record settlement.
• County Counsel was directed to examine the conduct of legal representatives, review the settlement, and consider referrals to the State Bar or law enforcement.
• The county auditor will establish a dedicated fraud hotline for AB 218 cases, with an initial report to the board due in 14 days.
• The move follows a Los Angeles Times investigation that found seven plaintiffs said recruiters paid them to file, including two who said they were told to fabricate claims; DTLA Law Group denies paying anyone and says it hired an outside firm to review.
• The $4 billion agreement covers roughly 11,000 claimants and has driven budget cuts, while supervisors warned 40% fee deals could send over $1 billion to law firms as they stressed getting funds to legitimate survivors.