LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County prosecutors have declined to file charges against donors to Sheriff Alex Villanueva's 2018 campaign, saying there was insufficient evidence to prove that contributions were illegally orchestrated.
Prosecutors opened an inquiry a month before the 2018 election after receiving a complaint from then-Sheriff Jim McDonnell's campaign alleging that the owner of a burger chain was reimbursing employees for donating to Villanueva, according to a district attorney's office memo obtained Thursday by The Times through a public records request.
This type of deception, referred to as straw donors, is illegal under campaign finance laws, which prohibit individuals from concealing campaign contributions by making them in another person's name.
