LA District Attorney Claims 80-81% of $4 Billion Sex Abuse Settlement Claims May Be Fraudulent
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman filed a motion to freeze payments from a $4 billion sexual abuse settlement, claiming that 80-81 percent of the claims may be fraudulent. The settlement, reached in April 2025, is the largest in U.S. history and covers over 11,000 claims of abuse in county-run juvenile facilities. Hochman's investigation was prompted by a Los Angeles Times investigation that found nine plaintiffs allegedly paid to join the lawsuit, raising questions about the settlement's integrity.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has asked a judge to halt payments from a $4 billion sexual abuse settlement, alleging that 80-81 percent of the claims may be fraudulent. The settlement, finalized in April 2025, covers more than 11,000 claims of sexual abuse in county-run juvenile halls, foster homes, and children's shelters, making it the largest such settlement in U.S. history. Hochman's criminal investigation, launched in November 2024, was triggered by a Los Angeles Times investigation that identified nine plaintiffs who claimed they were paid by recruiters to join the class-action lawsuit, with four stating their claims were entirely false. The DA argues that prior vetting by other agencies was insufficient and seeks a six-month freeze on payments to allow his investigation to continue. Plaintiff attorneys contend that Hochman's actions further victimize survivors, while the law firm Downtown LA Law Group (DTLA), which represented the nine flagged plaintiffs, denies recruiting anyone and notes it underwent independent audits that other firms did not.
What's missing
The sources do not provide details on the specific methodology Hochman used to arrive at the 80-81 percent fraud estimate, nor do they explain how this figure was calculated or what evidence supports it beyond the nine cases identified by the LA Times.
How coverage differed
Both outlets report the same core facts and allegations, but the New York Post emphasizes Hochman's statements about protecting legitimate victims and holding fraudsters accountable, while Fox News provides more detail on the LA Times investigation that triggered the probe and includes more extensive response from DTLA and plaintiff attorneys questioning the DA's claims.
What different sources said
- Fox NewsRight
80% of claims in America's largest sexual abuse settlement in history could be fraudulent, LA DA says
- New York PostRight
LA DA Nathan Hochman says 81 percent of claims in $4B sex abuse settlement may be ‘fraudulent’
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