Saying “delay is devastation,” attorneys representing plaintiffs in child sex abuse claims against Los Angeles County are opposing District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s bid to seek a stay of more than $4 billion in payouts while his office investigates fraud allegations.
In 2025, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed to pay a $4 billion settlement to more than 11,000 claims of sexual abuse from victims who were previously in custody at Los Angeles County juvenile halls, foster homes and children’s shelters.
In court papers filed Wednesday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lawrence Riff, District Attorney Nathan Hochman contends there are “significant allegations of fraud in a very significant majority of these cases” and that therefore putting the payouts on hold until Dec. 31 is worthwhile.
Hochman says he filed the motion “with the interests of the real victims in mind” and that his office believes that fraudulent claims may account for as much as 81% of those seeking compensation from the settlement fund.
But in their court papers, the plaintiffs’ lawyers contend it would be unfair to hold up payments to their clients.
“Delay is devastation,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers state in their pleadings, noting that the law firm Boucher LLP has a client who was recently released from prison, is semi-unhoused and in need of healthcare. The plaintiff is not on the district attorney’s list of suspected fraudulent cases and there is “overwhelming evidence” that he was in the county system when abused, according to the plaintiffs’ attorneys court papers.
“If his June payment is delayed to December 2026, he will go from semi- unhoused to fully unhoused,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers state. “He will find it difficult to find enough food to eat. He will not receive the care he needs. And the benefit of his bargain with the county is lost.”
Another Boucher client was sexually abused in the foster care system by her foster mother’s husband and records prove she was in foster care as well as MacLaren Hall, the plaintiffs’ attorneys state in their court papers. They say that while the woman is on Hochman’s list, she nonetheless is unhoused, struggles to find food to eat and had to borrow money to stay alive and any holdup in her June payment will cost her an additional $3,180; worse, she will have borrow more money, the plaintiffs’ lawyers further contend.
Yet another Boucher plaintiff is in a healthcare facility and may be dying and she voluntarily appeared for a deposition due to her health, the plaintiffs’ attorneys state in their court papers. Also on Hochman’s list, the woman was in MacLaren Hall and two county detention facilities and her paramedic son does not believe she will live out the year, according to the attorneys’ pleadings.
“A delay would mean she never receives an ounce of justice,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers further state, while adding that the District Attorney’s Office does not meet the legal standard to intervene in the lawsuit.
Nonetheless, Hochman said last week that he is looking forward to Monday’s hearing on his motion before Riff.
“This intervention is critical to safeguarding the rights of the legitimate child abuse survivors, including preserving the integrity of the settlement process,” Hochman said. “It will also help ensure that individuals who have allegedly filed fraudulent claims are held accountable for exploiting the horrific abuse and trauma experienced by genuine survivors.”
All claims that are not verified with records should be denied. No blank checks.