Following in the steps of former Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez, new Assessor, Jeffrey Prang, is being accused of similar corruption complaints that continue to plague the department.
In 2012, a grand jury was investigating allegations that Noguez directed his staff to lower property values in an effort to obtain campaign donations. The probe was triggered by allegations from a former employee, and friend, of Noguez’s, Scott Schenter.
Now, three employees at the assessor’s office, allege that County Assessor Jeff Prang, his top managers and county lawyers have violated tax codes to benefit property owners by giving them favorable decisions on reassessments, the Los Angeles Times reported. The suit alleged that special tax treatment was a “quid pro quo” for campaign contributions — though none were cited in the suit.