LOS ANGELES (AP) - A former city councilman agreed Friday to plead guilty to obstructing an investigation into his acceptance of tens of thousands of dollars in cash, female escort services and other perks from an individual pursuing major real-estate deals in Los Angeles.
Mitchell Englander, 49, of Santa Monica, agreed to plead guilty to one count of scheming to falsify material facts, according to court documents filed Friday. A date for his sentencing has not been scheduled.
Englander resigned from the Los Angeles City Council on New Year’s Eve 2018 as he was being investigated by the FBI.
According to his plea agreement, he admitted scheming to cover up the details of trips to Las Vegas and Palm Springs in June 2017 where authorities say he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in cash and various perks from an individual identified only as “Businessperson A.”
During the Last Vegas trip, authorities say, Englander accepted $10,000 in cash, free hotel rooms, $1,000 in gambling chips, $34,000 in bottle service at a nightclub, a $2,481 dinner and the services of two female escorts.
During the trip to Palm Springs for a golf tournament, authorities say he accepted another $5,000 from the same individual, who two months later began cooperating with authorities investigating “pay-for-play” schemes involving public officials.
After learning of the investigation himself, authorities say Englander lied to FBI agents, coached “Businessperson A” on what to say to them and, at one point, sent the person an encrypted message offering to repay part of the money spent on the Las Vegas trip. At another point, he allegedly met with the person in his car to discuss what they would say to authorities, driving the car around in circles while playing the stereo loudly in an effort to conceal the conversation.
Englander was initially charged with three counts of making false statements and three counts of witness tampering, in addition to the obstruction charge.
Under terms of the deal, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and the other charges will be dropped.
Englander, who represented much of the San Fernando Valley’s northwest section, served on the City Council from 2011 until his resignation in 2018.
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