REDONDO BEACH, Calif. — Recently-elected Redondo Beach city council member and attorney Zein Obagi is facing potential discipline from the California State Bar, following allegations of professional misconduct and an accusation of moral turpitude. If found guilty, Obagi faces possible disbarment.

The complaint filed by the California State Bar on July 28 alleges seven counts of professional misconduct over two years and one lengthy saga between business-partners-turned-rivals over their cannabis dispensary.

What You Need To Know

  • Redondo Beach council member and private attorney Zein Obagi is facing disciplinary actions, including possible disbarment, following allegations by the California State Bar

  • The state bar has levied seven counts of professional misconduct against Obagi, including a count of moral turpitude, related to a series of cases among two clients-turned-rivals starting in 2016

  • Obagi denies the bar's accusations and has accused the bar of ignoring a filing he made to resolve a monetary dispute

  • Obagi was elected to the Redondo Beach City Council in March, defeating the incumbent by 33 votes

Obagi is alleged to have started representing Eric Dominguez and Tim Cullen, then business partners in Valley Herbal Healing Center, starting in 2016, without advising them of potential future conflicts or obtaining their written consent. When the partners split, Obagi continued representing Cullen in negotiations against Dominguez, allegedly without Dominguez’s informed consent.

After the pair reached settlement terms over their lawsuits, the complaint alleges that Obagi mishandled and kept incomplete records of $515,000 intended for Dominguez, breaching his fiduciary duty to his former client.

Should he be found guilty of the counts, Obagi faces possible disbarment, as well as possible monetary sanctions.

In a response to the State Bar, Obagi offered a blanket denial of the allegations against him and stated that the notice of disciplinary charges “fail to state facts sufficient to constitute” the alleged violations of both California law and the state bar’s rules of professional conduct.

When reached for comment, Obagi noted that he previously deposited $532,000 with the court in an interpleader trust, while a handful of parties — including Dominguez — settled their claim to the money.

“The state bar is completely ignoring that fact in its charges against me, as did the Superior Court before it,” Obagi said.

Obagi was elected to the Redondo Beach City Council in March, defeating incumbent John Gran by 33 votes. Obagi had previously attempted to unseat Gran by sponsoring a recall effort in late 2019.

That campaign was largely powered by the city’s firefighters association, spurred by Gran’s deciding vote that killed a movement for Redondo toward a contract for fire services with Los Angeles County. Prior to entering Redondo Beach politics, Obagi ran for Congress twice, in 2012 and 2014.

“Residents are concerned about increases in crime and the quality of their day to day lives,” Obagi said. “I think those who have learned about the charges are interested to see what comes of them after trial, realizing that disciplinary charges contain allegations only, and I am presumed innocent.”