Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman was joined by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, 5th District, on Dec. 11 to announce felony charges against five unlicensed contractors and to warn the public about unlicensed construction contractors preying on victims of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena wildfires. The arrests were made as a result of an operation conducted by the District Attorney’s Office’s Bureau of Investigation and the California Contractors State License Board.
“My office is cracking down on criminal contractors who prey on residents who have already lost so much and cannot afford to lose more,” Hochman said. “I urge the communities impacted by the wildfires to stay vigilant and report unlicensed contractors who are taking advantage of this disaster and putting your safety and property at risk. This is important. You are still the victim of a crime even if you knowingly hired an unlicensed contractor and should alert authorities.”
Hochman also launched a campaign to warn contractors that they will be prosecuted for unlicensed activity in the fire zones, including warning signs in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Armenian in affected neighborhoods…