A top executive who worked on security operations at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has agreed to plead guilty to one felony charge of making false statements, prosecutors said Monday.
Former Chief Information Security Officer David F. Alexander, 54, of Arcadia lied to the FBI about a job offer that he “secretly solicited” in return for helping pass contract money to a lawyer, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said that Alexander lied to the FBI about his conversations and agreements with Paul Paradis, a New York attorney hired by City Atty. Mike Feuer’s office to work on litigation stemming from the utility’s 2013 billing debacle. Paradis and Alexander worked closely together at the DWP.
Former Department of Water and Power official David Wright has agreed to plead guilty to a bribery charge, the U.S. attorney’s office said Monday.
Alexander used his role at Southern California Public Power Authority, a group of several utilities, including the DWP, to help give a $17-million contract focused on cybersecurity work to three companies, including one associated with Paradis.
Alexander also solicited and agreed to accept from Paradis a future job as the chief administrative officer of the company, an executive-level annual salary, a sign-on bonus and $60,000 a year for 30 years for his early retirement penalty from DWP, prosecutors said.
The charge Alexander agreed to plead guilty to carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, prosecutors said.
Alexander’s attorney, Nina Marino, declined to comment.
Monday’s announcement marks the third tentative plea agreement in the DWP scandal.
Former DWP General Manager David Wright has agreed to plead guilty to a bribery charge, admitting that he took bribes in exchange for supporting a $30-million, no-bid DWP contract to Paradis’ company, prosecutors said. Wright also admitted in the plea agreement that he participated in several other corrupt schemes while serving as head of the DWP.
Paradis also has agreed to plead guilty to one count of bribery and is cooperating with the ongoing federal criminal investigation, prosecutors said last month. He has admitted to taking a nearly $2.2-million kickback from another attorney.
