Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has asked a judge to freeze payments to victims of a $4 billion sexual abuse lawsuit settlement, citing concerns that up to 80% of the claims could be fraudulent. The settlement, which was agreed upon in April 2025, aimed to compensate over 11,000 individuals who alleged they were victims of sexual abuse in county-run juvenile halls and foster homes.

Investigation Uncovers Potential Fraud

An investigation by the Los Angeles Times discovered that nine plaintiffs claimed they were paid by recruiters to join the class-action lawsuit, with four of them stating that their claims were entirely fraudulent. This revelation prompted Hochman to launch his own investigation, which has led him to believe that a significant number of claims may be false.

Hochman’s request to freeze payments would only apply to cases stemming from juvenile halls, which account for the majority of the cases in the lawsuit. The District Attorney’s office has been working to verify the authenticity of every claim, with the goal of ensuring that only legitimate victims receive compensation.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs have expressed frustration with Hochman’s claims, arguing that they further hurt victims who have already suffered enough. The case is set to be reviewed by Superior Court Judge Lawrence Riff, who will determine whether to grant Hochman’s request to freeze payments.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.