Business

17 charged in L.A. County fire-zone contractor cases

Prosecutors say 11 defendants allegedly worked without licenses in the Eaton Fire zone and six in the Palisades Fire zone as rebuilding continues.

Image credit: Matt Muller, HLCO 509 / USDA Forest Service via Wikimedia Commons, public domain; archival January 2025 Eaton Fire photograph, not any defendant, contracting work or the current investigation

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed criminal charges against 17 people accused of contracting without a license in wildfire disaster zones, ABC7 reported October 2. Prosecutors said 11 defendants allegedly operated in the Eaton Fire zone and six in the Palisades Fire zone.

What it means locally

The charges are allegations and do not establish guilt. California law makes unlicensed contracting on structures damaged or destroyed in a governor-declared disaster a felony punishable by up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000, according to the District Attorney’s Office. The agency says its fire-zone enforcement work is continuing with the California Contractors State License Board. Officials advise homeowners to verify a contractor’s license before authorizing repair or reconstruction work and to report suspected unlicensed activity to the state board. The accompanying photograph shows the Eaton Fire burning on January 8, 2025 and is archival; it does not show any defendant, contracting work or the current investigation.

Full report and further details: Read original report →