Wednesday, September 23, 2026

District Attorney: Eaton Fire Criminal Investigation Remains Active

By EDDIE RIVERA

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman addresses ongoing Eaton Fire-related crimes at Tuesday’s town hall meeting

Hochman tells NAACP town hall that prosecutors are pursuing contractor fraud, scams and other crimes targeting fire survivors

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told Eaton Fire survivors Tuesday evening  that his office is actively investigating Southern California Edison and pursuing contractors, scammers and others accused of taking advantage of residents struggling to rebuild after the devastating January 2025 fire.

Speaking at a town hall presented with the Pasadena Branch of the NAACP at the Eaton Fire Collaborative, Hochman described an evolving wave of crimes that began with looting and impersonation of first responders in the days after the fire and has shifted toward contractor fraud, financial scams and other schemes targeting recovery money.

“As long as money is coming into this community to rebuild, there’ll be people wanting to steal it,” Hochman told residents.

Hochman said his office has prosecuted more than 50 people for crimes connected to the Eaton and Palisades fires, with Eaton Fire cases accounting for roughly half or slightly more, depending on the category of crime.

Nine people have been prosecuted in the Eaton Fire area in cases involving unlicensed contracting, he said. Prosecutors have worked with investigators from the California Contractors State License Board to identify contractors operating illegally, including through advertisements and social media postings.

Hochman repeatedly urged homeowners to verify contractors’ licenses before handing over money, warning that unlicensed contractors may demand large upfront payments, fail to obtain permits, or disappear without completing work.

“If someone offers you a deal to do any type of repair, and what they’re charging is too good to be true, I’ll guarantee you it’s too good to be true,” he said.

The discussion also ranged across fraudulent liens, stolen FEMA benefits, theft of building materials, public adjusters, price gouging and possible wrongful foreclosures. Several questions reflected the complicated problems confronting homeowners nearly two years into recovery, including cases in which residents said contractors had taken hundreds of thousands of dollars without paying subcontractors.

Hochman said his office remains particularly concerned about fraud involving government and private recovery assistance. Scammers have used addresses of destroyed homes and public property records to apply for benefits before legitimate homeowners could do so, he said.

The evening’s most closely watched issue, however, involved the investigation into the cause of the Eaton Fire.

Hochman said prosecutors are examining scientific and technical evidence, expert reports and material developed through civil litigation as they consider whether criminal charges can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Asked directly whether he planned to prosecute Southern California Edison, Hochman said the criminal investigation remains “very active.”

“When or if we bring that case,” Hochman said, “I think it’s a when and not an if.”

He said any announcement of charges would mean prosecutors believe they can meet the criminal standard of proof.

Hochman also acknowledged the continuing trauma facing Altadena residents as they rebuild their homes and community.

“We’re going to do our absolute best,” he said, “to get to the end of that investigation as soon as possible.”