March 28, 2024
Palm Springs corruption figures surrender
PALM SPRINGS – (INT) – Former mayor Steve Pougnet and real estate developers Richard Meaney and John Wessman are on bail awaiting arraignment in an alleged public corruption scandal.

Pougnet surrendered in Riverside on Wednesday.

Meaney has been ordered to appear in Riverside Superior Court April 28th and Wessman on March 16th.

Last week, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin detailed a 30-count complaint which included bribery, conflict of interest, perjury and conspiracy.

Hestrin said “Meaney and Wessman secretly funneled money to Pougnet when he was the mayor over the years 2012 through 2014 in order to buy his influence. At the time, both developers had a number of significant and lucrative development projects that were before the Palm Springs City Council. Pougnet, while serving the city as its mayor, voted on a number of projects in which he had a financial interest over that same timeframe. During that time, Pougnet never disclosed those financial interests on any of his Statement of Economic Interest (Form 700) documents, which he signed under penalty of perjury."

If convicted, each of the developers face potential prison sentences of 12 years. Pougnet would be sentenced to 19 years behind bars and could never again hold public office.

In a statement issued last Thursday, city officials said that various projects in development are affected. "It will involve complex analysis by legal and business experts as to the best way to proceed with each of these properties."

Palm Springs is the latest Riverside County city investigated for corruption of its elected or appointed officials. In recent years, there have been public corruption cases filed in San Jacinto, Moreno Valley and most recently in Beaumont.
Story Date: February 27, 2017
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