LOS ANGELES — LA City Council President Paul Krekorian is calling on his colleagues to suspend Council member Curren Price following a criminal complaint against the longstanding city leader.

The LA County District Attorney’s office charged Price on Tuesday with 10 counts of embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest.

What You Need To Know

  • City Council President Pro Tem Curren Price is charged with five counts of embezzlement of government funds, three counts of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest

  • The LA County District Attorney says Price had a financial interest in projects he voted to approve

  • Price has represented South LA for a decade

  • The charges against Price come less than a year after LA City Hall was upended by a secretly recorded audiotape of three City Council members exchanging racist remarks

Curren is charged with “having a financial interest in projects that he voted on and having the city pay for medical benefits for his now wife while he was still married to another woman,” according to a statement from the DA’s office. The woman received more than $150,000 from developers whose projects Price voted to approve, the DA alleges, as well as $33,800 in medical coverage.

Price has represented South Los Angeles in the City Council for a decade and was serving as the City Council President Pro Tempore until he stepped down on Tuesday. He is charged with five counts of embezzlement of government funds, three counts of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest. He has yet to be arraigned.

“Today’s charges against Councilman Curren Price are the result of a thorough investigation into allegations of public corruption,” LA County District Attorney George Gascon said in the statement. “This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and erodes the public’s trust in our elected officials.”

The public trust in LA’s elected officials has been eroding over the past several years in a series of cascading scandals. Last October, former City Council President Nury Martinez resigned after a leaked audiotape caught her disparaging the Black adopted child of a colleague. One of the two other City Council members caught on the tape — Kevin de Leon — remains in office after battling an attempted recall. Council member Gil Cedillo lost his bid for reelection before the audio scandal broke.

In January, former City Council member Jose Huizar pled guilty to federal criminal charges of racketeering and tax evasion. In March, a jury found former City Council member Mark Ridley-Thomas guilty of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud for a scheme that benefited his son in exchange for lucrative contracts with the University of Southern California.

Price said Tuesday he will step down as City Council President Pro Tem and give up his committee assignments. Council President Paul Krekorian said he will move to suspend Price during Wednesday's City Council meeting.