WESTWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A veteran University of California, Los Angeles employee has resigned amid allegations he engaged in inappropriate behavior with children on the Internet, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

A website called “Operation Riptide” claims Michael Sondheimer, the associate athletic director at UCLA, attempted to engage children in sexual chats involving humiliation and degradation in a sting where adults posed as minors.

The website quotes Sondheimer as saying: “13? Good”, “Love ghetto girls U are so real and so cool” and ‘Want to do anything to your hot body.”

Goldstein confronted Sondheimer, who was on the computer at his local public library Monday, about the accusations, but he had no response to various questions.

Sondheimer has worked at UCLA for 36 years. Most recently, he was in charge of on-campus recruiting.

In a statement, a university spokesperson said, “Sondheimer was placed on administrative leave June 3, immediately after the university learned of allegations that he had engaged in inappropriate conduct. The allegations were unrelated to his job at UCLA and did not involve students or any other employees.”

Sondheimer’s attorney had no comment about the situation.

The investigation is ongoing.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Weeks after leaving office, Antonio Villaraigosa still receives some mayoral treatment, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

Sources told Goldstein that the former mayor will have a security force for the next six months, chauffeuring him around with taxpayers footing the bill.

At a conference in Century City last week, Villaraigosa announced his first private sector job would be as an adviser with Banc of California. Outside, an unmarked Los Angeles Police Department car and a plainclothes officer awaited him–along with Goldstein.

“Beautiful thing is I don’t have to answer to you anymore,” Villaraigosa told Goldstein.

“Why do you have a city car and driver, Mr. Villaraigosa? You’re not in office anymore. Why should taxpayers be paying for a car and driver?” Goldstein asked.

“Why don’t you ask Chief Beck about that,” Villaraigosa responded.

In a statement, Chief Charlie Beck said, “We do not discuss the protection/security arrangements for our protectees.”

“Public figures often gather threats as a result of their public service to the city,” Cmdr. Andrew Smith added.

The duo wouldn’t say if there were any specific threats, but Villaraigosa is not the first former Los Angeles mayor to get special treatment.

Jim Hahn confirmed that he also received six months of security when he left office in 2005. Former Mayor Richard Riordan, however, said he didn’t.

Goldstein surveyed top cities across California and the rest of the country and found that San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Boston did not provide police protection for former mayors. Only Chicago, New York and Los Angeles give the protection perk.

Kris Vosburgh of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association said the officers should be on the streets protecting citizens, not ex-mayors.

“This is basically preposterous to bill the taxpayers for security, and especially, transportation. Welcome to the real world, mayor. Everyone else has to pay for their own transportation,” he said.

The California Highway Patrol said former governors normally don’t receive any protection, although Gray Davis’ spokesperson said he did for an undetermined amount of time.

SAN PEDRO (CBSLA.com) — The Port of Los Angeles has been spending more than $1 million of public money on renovating a yacht, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

In Feb. 2012, the port announced plans to modernize the Angelena II, a 73-foot yacht, with a new hybrid system that was supposed to be completed by last spring.

The port installed 50 batteries, along with other high-tech gear, to make the yacht all-electric.

So far, the technology hasn’t been given approval by the Coast Guard, so the Angelena sits while the costs add up.

The original estimate for renovations was $700,000.

Goldstein, however, reported that the actual cost is more than $1 million and counting. He said more than $435,000 comes from the port, while the rest—$571,681—is federal taxpayer stimulus money that’s supposed to be used to create jobs.

Asked how many jobs were created for the yacht, Cynthia Ruiz of the Port of L.A. said, “I’ll be more than happy to get back to you.”

While Ruiz never answered that specific question, she did defend the amount of money being allocated for the yacht.

“We stand by our need to have a tour boat to show our stakeholders the port,” she said.

Goldstein said the stakeholders are companies that use the port, which is a city agency.

The port uses the yacht, which it has owned since 1988, on two-hour, free public relations tours of the harbor for just about any group.

Goldstein obtained ship logs from previous years, which showed the names of thousands of people who have been on-board. Some do business with the port, but many are just there for a free ride.

When Goldstein first reported on the Angelena II, Congressman Darrell Issa, R-San Diego, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, shot off a letter to the port and launched an investigation.

Ultimately, he found that no laws were broken, but he said he doesn’t agree with how the taxpayer money is being spent.

“This was an awful use of taxpayers’ money from the get-go. This yacht was simply going to give tours and demonstrate that it could be done with an electric motor, when in fact, that’s not really what the Port of Los Angeles is selling,” said Issa.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said he’d look into how the Angelena is being used.

“I’m going to be comprehensibly reviewing whether or not it’s being used for city business or for junkets, whether it’s being used for serious sales that need to happen at a port and whether it’s being used as a recreational vehicle,” he said.

RELATED STORY:

Taxpayer Money Used To Maintain Million-Dollar Yacht

SAN PEDRO (CBSLA.com) — The cost of renovations for the Port of Los Angeles’ yacht, which is used for tours of the harbor, is millions more than first reported, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

In Feb. 2012, the port announced plans to modernize the Angelena II, a 73-foot yacht, with a new hybrid system that was supposed to be completed by last spring.

The port installed 50 batteries, along with other high-tech gear, to make the yacht all-electric. So far, the technology hasn’t been given approval by the Coast Guard, so the Angelena sits while the costs add up.

The original estimate for renovations was $700,000.

Last week, Goldstein reported that the cost was more than $1 million of public money, basing the sum on a document that was given to him by the port.

Goldstein, however, uncovered a December memo, which put the renovation costs at more than $3 million.

The port announced the true number at Thursday’s Harbor Commission meeting.

“(It) will be about $3.2 million,” said John Holmes, the project director for the Angelena II.

Holmes denied any sort of cover-up in connection with the discrepancy.

“Were you trying to conceal the true costs of the renovations when you provided that document to me?” Goldstein asked.

“No, absolutely not,” said Holmes.

“Then how did you come up with $1 million when it was really several million more?” Goldstein asked.

“I provided information that was requested of me and I either misunderstood the question or didn’t give you the information that you asked for,” Holmes responded.

Holmes said the difference in the numbers was labor and overhead of port employees, which wasn’t included in the original amount.

Port executive director Geraldine Knatz called the situation a mistake.

“It was an error not to provide you with all the information when you originally requested it,” she said.

Mayor Eric Garcetti told Goldstein he was also kept in the dark and said his office will be reassessing how much public money is being spent on the yacht.

“As mayor right now, just looking at the face of things, this is troubling,” he said. “I did not know that it was $3 million…it’s troubling that it was kept from us.”

RELATED STORIES:

Renovations On Port Of LA’s Yacht Costing More Than $1M In Public Money

Taxpayer Money Used To Maintain Million-Dollar Yacht

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — CBS2 Investigative Reporter David Goldstein talked to Southland music fans who paid big bucks for luxury seats at sold out concerts.

The fans said they were taken advantage of and accuse the ticket seller of dealing with nothing but heartache.

Louie Salinas and his wife Brenda promised hard-to-get tickets in luxury booths at STAPLES for in-demand concerts like One Direction, Bruno Mars and Beyonce.

Said one alleged victim, “I got to admit, the guy is smooth. Very, very suave,” says Jimmy Borunda.

Borunda’s wife said, “I told my dad we’re going to have the suite, the buffet, open bar.”

Many paid as much as $1,400 per ticket .

But on the day of the event, Goldstein reports, the ticket holders were often given a story.

“She calls me or texts me ,’Oh, I’m sorry, but something happened.’ I said, ‘What do you mean, something happened?;” says one woman.

That “something” happened to the six people Goldstein spoke to and they say many others.

They said the Salinas took their money for sold out shows but never delivered.

“To this day, since March, he owes me $2,300,” says Borunda.

Borunda and his wife Rocio bought 35 tickets to a Vincente Fernandez concert. They say Salinas claimed he had a connection at Staples and had sold tickets previously that he was able to produce.

This time Brenda was advertising available tickets on a Facebook chat. $90 each. Private food and beverages. A luxury private suite. Rocio even flew her dad in from Boston.

“At the last minute, the tickets didn’t come in. And once they told me that, I was like, oh my God. How do I tell my dad,” says Rocio.

Lydia Aquino bought suite tickets for One Direction.

“My 12-year-old is a big fan,” said Aquino. One Direction is her daughter’s favorite group, she added.

Aquino says she gave Salinas $480 for six tickets.

“The day of, it was just a lot of ‘I’m sick, I have to go to emergency, my blood sugar is like at 400,’” says Aquino.

So as not to disappoint her daughter, at the 11th hour, she spent another $400 so she could sit in the last row.

“I saw her face fall,” said Aquino, “as we walked up and got into the [higher] area, she just turned around and looked, and sighed, and I just went ‘Oh my God.’”

The group took to Facebook to warn others about the Salinas’ and their ticket scam.  The group also said promises of refunds came and went with only a few of the people getting a portion of their money back, including Borunda who received $1,000.

“He a good con artist,” said Rocio.

Goldstein caught up with Salinas and he had no answers.

“I’m David Goldstein with CBS2 News. What happened to all the suite tickets?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Salinas.

Goldstein countered with, “Sure you do. What happened to all the suite tickets? At STAPLES Center.  All the food. All the alcohol. People call you a con man, saying you’re suave. Come on, talk to me a second, Louie.”

Residents want to know where their money has gone but they say they have learned their lesson.

“It’s very foolish. I would say, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. I would never do it again,” says Borunda.

David Goldstein, CBS2 News

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — L.A. Sheriff Lee Baca pulled his endorsement Monday for a vitamin company after CBS2 questioned him about the company’s contribution to his political campaign.

CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein found the sheriff was using his name and title to pitch nutritional supplements for YOR Health.

“I try to set high standards for myself…the whole YOR Health product line fits in,” Baca says during a YouTube video recorded at one of three YOR Health conferences in Las Vegas.

Goldstein even found pictures of Baca posing in 2011 with YOR Health company owner Dennis Wong.

(credit: YORhealth.com)

On the company’s website, Baca’s picture is placed next to the statement “He is a big fan of YOR Health products.”

The sheriff refused to comment but his spokesman, Steve Whitmore, said Baca didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.

“Right there, it says he’s a big fan – is that not an endorsement?” Goldstein said to Whitmore.

“No, absolutely, it is an endorsement because he loves the product,” the spokesman said.

Whitmore said the sheriff wasn’t paid any money, although his expenses in Las Vegas where covered by the company.

But Goldstein did find a $1,000 contribution made by YOR Health to Baca’s campaign in 2010.

“It sends absolutely the wrong message,” said government ethics expert Bob Stern. “It’s not illegal, but it’s wrong.”

Stern continued, “I think it’s absolutely inappropriate for the sheriff or any public official to be endorsing a product. The sheriff’s moral compass needs to be adjusted.”

And, sure enough, an hour after CBS2 started asking the sheriff’s office about this issue the YouTube videos were restricted from public viewing, at the request of the sheriff. Baca’s picture was also removed from the YOR Health website.

“In retrospect, should he have looked deeper into this? Probably. He knows that, which is why he halted it today,” Whitmore said.

CBS2 isn’t aware how long the sheriff’s endorsement was on the YOR Health website. Company executives didn’t immediately respond to requests for an interview.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A public agency that provides health care for Los Angeles’ poorest families has been using taxpayer money on lavish parties and alcohol, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

Goldstein reviewed L.A. Care Health Plan’s credit card statements and salary information for 2012.

The agency’s executives spent more than $8,100 for a 59-person dinner at Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion in downtown Los Angeles. To wash down the meal, they bought 29 bottles of wine worth more than $1,100.

The organization also spent more than $58,000 on a 2011 holiday party for 550 people at the Westin Bonaventure in downtown L.A., $16,000 on American Express gift cards and more than $5,000 on personalized cookies with the L.A. Care logo.

In addition, the agency spent thousands of dollars on catered working lunches from the Corner Bakery Café and meals at swanky restaurants like the Los Angeles Athletic Club, where one lunch cost more than $1,400.

Howard Kahn, the CEO of L.A. Care, defended all the charges Goldstein found, including the food and wine at Roy’s, which he said was an appreciation dinner for the agency’s Board of Governors.

“I think we’ve been very responsible in our use of our funds here at L.A. Care. I understand that people looking at isolation at one particular expenditure might say, ‘Gee, why are they doing that?’ But I think you have to look at the whole picture,” he said.

Kahn said the agency’s administrative costs are extremely low and the organization is well-run.

Goldstein, however, discovered that the latest financial statement showed a $20 million deficit for this year, and earlier in the year, the agency had to cancel its Healthy Kids program due to a lack of funds.

Kahn made a large amount of money last year, including a $434,000 salary, $86,000 in incentive compensation, $10,000 in parking and car allowance, and nearly $200,000 in benefits, for a total of nearly $730,000 in taxpayer money.

By comparison, the President of the United States only makes $400,000.

“I don’t compare my salary to the president’s or anybody else’s,” said Kahn.

Kahn referred Goldstein to board chairman Dr. Thomas Horowitz.

“I believe he is worth what we are paying him considering the job he is doing,” said Horowitz.

Congressman Darrell Issa (R-San Diego), the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, disagreed.

“The idea that if you are going to do public service you have to be paid nearly $1 million means you are not there for public service. You’re there for personal profit,” he said.

Bob Stern, an expert on government ethics, said the lavish expenditures and dinners on taxpayer expense need to stop.

“The big problem is they think that they can get away with it because nobody is looking at their expenditures. I’m sure after your report comes out, there won’t be any more of these lavish dinners and lavish parties,” he said.

Demetria Saffore, of Palmdale, was born with Albinism. She needs an oxygen machine to help her breathe.

“It’s the lack of pigment in the hair, skin and eyes. And it causes blindness,” she said.

Saffore is on Medi-Cal and gets her health care coverage though L.A. Care. She also receives food stamps.

“I get $114 for a whole month for food and that’s to feed three people,” she said.

Saffore was stunned when she read the receipts from L.A. Care’s executives.

“Oh my God. Yikes. Whoa. I can’t even dream of going to a restaurant of that caliber,” she said.

[WARNING: Some of the images in this video may be offensive to some readers.]

IRVINE (CBSLA.com ) — A 31-year-old man who patrols two Orange County college campuses posted pro-Nazi and anti-black sentiments on the Internet, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

Carlos Vazquez works as a parking officer at the University of California, Irvine, and is also a public safety officer at Golden West College in Huntington Beach.

Goldstein discovered that Vazquez, using the handle “clos_vaz” on Instagram, posted pictures of swastikas and Adolf Hitler, along with photos of African Americans with racially insensitive comments.

One photo, which depicted a black mother with two children in her arms, had the caption, “Mammy, when is daddy coming home from prison? I miss seeing him beat you and I miss how he made us hungry.”

A photo of a young black boy had the caption, “Waking up in juvenile jail. It’s in their blood.”

Goldstein also found two pictures in which it appeared Vazquez pasted images of his own son and daughter in Hitler’s arms.

Wrote clos_vaz: “Proud father moment when my daughter met the great fuhrer.”

Another picture of Hitler and the children had a caption that read, “I love how attentive my kids are when it comes to real WW2 history.”

Goldstein said Vazquez’s Instagram account also had an image of a swastika over a baby’s diaper and of a swastika drawn in mustard on a hamburger.

The caption read, “I will have the Nazi burger easy on the Jew sauce.”

Melissa Carr of the Orange County Anti-Defamation League said the pictures in which it’s believed Vazquez included his children may be the biggest concern.

“To me, the pictures of his children, presumably, being exposed to this hate is troubling. That brings up the issue of hate being learned. Hate comes from home,” she said.

UC Irvine students of all races were shocked by the images.

“They’re just really horrible. Offensive,” a man said.

“Even though I might not be [Jewish] or African American, I still find it offensive. The fact that somebody in our college thinks that way is just horrible to me,” a woman said.

“It really hurts,” Vanessa Cuffee said through tears. “That just ruined my whole day.”

When Goldstein confronted Vazquez about the pictures, the man had little to say.

Asked if he was a Nazi sympathizer, Vazquez said, “Sir, I have no comment.”

Goldstein said that after his brief conversation with Vazquez, the man’s Instagram account went private, and a few minutes after that, the entire page was apparently deleted.

Cathy Lawhon, a UCI spokeswoman, denounced the pictures, but said it’s not a violation of any rules since they were posted on Vazquez’s personal account.

“As ill as it may make us to look at some of these things, we do have freedom of speech in this country,” she said.

But Jon Arnold, a public safety officer with Golden West College, took immediate action after he was shown the controversial pictures — including one with Vazquez in uniform watching a Hitler video in the security office.

Arnold said that in his mind, Vazquez’s actions violated school policy.

“This officer is going to be put on administrative leave immediately,” he said. “He’s crossed the line in just these photos, and the captions that go along with them indicate some type of level of prejudice or racial bias, so that’s not acceptable at all.”

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles traffic officers were discovered earning taxpayer money while slacking on the job, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

Los Angeles Department of Transportation officers are tasked with moving the flow of cars and enforcing traffic laws. It’s a job they say gets tougher all the time.

Last month, DOT employees appeared before the City Council to complain about their working conditions.

“The rank and file has lost confidence in our general manager,” one man said.

Meantime, CBS2’s hidden cameras rolled as some traffic officers goofed off while on duty.

Goldstein reported that Officer Gabriel Aguilar made more than $86,000 in last year, including more than $28,000 in overtime.

On many work days, Aguilar was at his Sylmar home for hours.

On one occasion, he was at home for just under two hours in the middle of a shift.

Three days later, Goldstein caught Aguilar at his home for two hours.

One day, Aguilar came home twice for a total of almost four hours.

On Nov. 1, Aguilar’s vehicle was seen at his home at 10:20 a.m. when his shift had started at 7 a.m.

Three hours and 10 minutes later, Goldstein confronted Aguilar when he finally left his residence.

“You’ve been working hard in your house? You’ve been in your house over three hours,” Goldstein said to Aguilar.

“I was on my lunch break, sir,” Aguilar said.

“Three hours on your lunch break? Your car has been here since 10:20! Yes, sir, we’ve been taping it,” Goldstein noted.

When further pressed, Aguilar said, “Have a good night.”

Goldstein reported the Aguilar wasn’t the only DOT employee not patrolling the streets.

One officer came home numerous times and parked in the alley behind his house during work.

Another officer was seen shopping at Target while on duty. When he left, he wrote a quick ticket on a car parked outside the store and then went to Costco, where he stayed for almost an hour.

A male officer was caught parked on the side of the street for hours at a time, seemingly doing nothing. He then wrote a couple of tickets.

Goldstein witnessed two officers on two occasions starting their shift by having breakfast for an hour.

When they left the eatery’s parking lot, Goldstein followed Officer Trevor Heerman in car 01871.

Heerman wrote a number of tickets, but then went to a deserted parking garage in North Hollywood twice in the same day.

He sat in his car both times and never got out to do any kind of official business.

A few weeks later, Goldstein caught up with Heerman. He told the officer that he was seen hiding in a parking garage for a number of hours.

“I don’t work in the North Hollywood area,” Heerman said.

Heerman continued to deny he was in the garage even after seeing the CBS2 video.

“It’s not my car,” he said.

Asked if it’s proper procedure to hide out in a parking garage while working, Heerman said, “No comment. You can talk to my supervisor.”

Goldstein showed DOT Chief Gregory Savelli the video of Heerman.

“That’s completely unacceptable. It irks me, and I’m both their boss and a taxpayer,” he said.

Savelli said the department is looking into a GPS system so it can keep track of officers’ whereabouts. He added that the traffic cops may face discipline for a “neglect of duty.”

Mayor Eric Garcetti didn’t mince his words when he was informed about Goldstein’s investigation.

“This doesn’t just anger me as a mayor, this pisses me off as a taxpayer,” Garcetti said.

Last week, DOT general manager Jaime De La Vega resigned from his post.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Billions of taxpayer dollars are doled out for food stamps and welfare to help those unable to afford the basics. But what if that money was being spent on gambling, alcohol and vacations?

CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein traced millions of dollars in L.A. County welfare money to some exotic locations, including ATMs in casinos and bars and vacation spots like Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Goldstein spoke with Whittier resident Lazette Letterman, who can only dream about going to those places.

“Can you afford to go to Hawaii?” Goldstein said.

“No,” Letterman said.

The mother of six has a mental disability and receives taxpayer-funded food stamps and welfare to provide for her family. She said she can’t afford luxuries or travel.

“I took the kids one time to Disneyland, one time because I can’t afford it. That’s been over three years. We can’t even afford to do that – that’s not right,” Letterman said.

CBS2 obtained the database of L.A. County welfare recipients who use all of their money out of state. The  investigation turned up everything but the recipients’ names. What they’re doing is not illegal as long they still reside in the county. But the USDA uses this list as a tool to detect fraud.

CBS2 found those welfare recipients spent nearly $4.6 million spent out of state from January 2012 through July 2013, some of it withdrawn at ATMs in casinos in Anchorage, Alaska; Las Vegas,; Shreveport, La.; and Greenville, Miss. Taxpayer money also turned up in bars and liquor stores all across the nation.

The money comes through electronic benefit transfer cards, or EBTs,  which are re-loaded each month with the two most common forms of public assistance. The EBT card is an electronic version of food stamps, and there are strict rules on how the money can be spent. But general relief money can be turned into cash at most ATMs.

(credit: CBS)

CBS2 traced it to more than 50 states.

During the 19 months in question, nearly $35,000 was spent in New York City, $15,000 in Miami, $4,600 in the Virgin Islands, $32,000 in Chicago and $12,000 in Hawaii.

But the most money traced to any one city was in Las Vegas. CBS2 found nearly one-third of all money spent out of state ended up in Sin City, ringing in at $1.5 million.

Goldstein found it withdrawn from ATMs at some very questionable locations.

One ATM doled out taxpayer cash during a withdrawal in June — $362.50 with a $2.50 service charge – at the Rum Runner Lounge. Pool and alcohol seemed to be the big draw, although it does serve food.

Casinos were also popular. From a chain of small casinos called Dotty’s to the Golden Nugget, nearly $6,000 was withdrawn from ATM’s.

Of course, people can just go to the bank. More than $5,000 distributed from the ATM machines at a Wells Fargo in Las Vegas was taxpayer money.

The most egregious use of general relief money, however, was linked to an ATM in the Voodoo Tattoo Parlor. That’s where CBS2 found a $203 withdrawal. Tattoos there start at $200 and the business only takes cash.

“Is there any reason why someone would come in here and use the ATM if not to get a tattoo? That’s pretty much what it’s there for,” Goldstein asked.

“Yeah, to get a tattoo, I would say,” a Voodoo Tattoo Parlor employee said.

“So someone used their LA County welfare card to get a tattoo?” Goldstein said.

“I didn’t even know that was possible,” the employee said.

The Las Vegas store did nothing wrong, but even the owner, Joe Cool, was upset with what happened.

“Does that upset you as a taxpayer?” Goldstein said.

“Absolutely it bothers me, because they keep raising our taxes,” Cool said.

Goldstein spoke with Lashonda Diggs, who runs the L.A. County welfare program. She says her department investigates the same out-of-state data that CBS2 obtained, along with the recipients’ names, to crack down on fraud.

“Is using general relief money for a tattoo, is that legal?” Goldstein said.

“It’s legal, but I don’t think it’s the best use of county funds,” she said.

“What do you say to taxpayers who are watching and see money spent in casinos, tattoo parlors, Hawaii, Virgin Islands? What do you say to these people?” Goldstein asked.

“I would say the department is doing its best to make sure we preserve the integrity of our program,” Diggs said. “There is no justification for one of these electronic cards to be used at a tattoo parlor.”

Rep. Ed Royce of Rowland Heights has been a critic of the welfare program. He says the state has been put on notice for the past two years about cracking down on fraud but hasn’t done anything.

“Right now, with thousands of cases of abuse and no follow-up for the past two years, the word is getting out that you can get away with abusing the program,” Royce said.

Not only can you get away with it, but CBS2 found you can get away to Las Vegas, and just about anywhere else.

CBS2 asked L.A. County to provide information on how many people have lost their benefits for misspending welfare money. It never responded.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A federal police officer is under investigation for allegedly sending a nude selfie to a woman who had come to him for help.

Investigative reporter David Goldstein has the story you will see Only On 2.

Goldstein spoke to the woman (we obscured the West LA resident’s  face) who was still upset by the selfie.

“It’s scary,” she said, “I mean, this is a police officer.”

Goldstein confronted the officer outside a store.

“Officer, did you send this … a naked picture of yourself?”

The picture is almost a full-length nude. He allegedly sent it to the woman’s cell phone.

“It’s shocking,” she said, “No one has ever sent me a nude selfie before. Let alone a police officer who I was going to him for help.”

The 31-year-old woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she and her mother went to the VA in Westwood last November.

She sent she went to look for a VA officer to help her search for her missing uncle, a veteran.

That’s when the woman said she ran into officer Jason Fougere.

She said the officer took her information and her cell phone number. He also reportedly gave the woman his card with his personal cell phone number written on it.

A few days later, the woman said she received a text message asking if she had a boyfriend and if she wanted to go for coffee sometime.

“I quickly responded that I was in a meeting,” said the woman, “and I couldn’t talk right now.”

She said the officer then sent her a selfie — this one in his full uniform.

He allegedly wrote, “Here’s something to remember me.”

She said she deleted that text.

Goldstein asked her what she thought about the text and that picture.

“We laughed, because it was shocking,” said the woman’s mother. “That we would get a picture of a police officer in uniform, that we met the day before. What do we need that for?”

From there, the women said the texts became increasingly graphic and dirty.

One complimented the woman on her large breasts.

“Your boobs are humongous,” he reportedly wrote on one text. “They must be fake. Those will be the first fake t–s I touch.”

That’s when the women said the naked selfie followed.

She texted him back, that he was “way out of line.” She added the officer was “very disrespectful. Please DO NOT contact me.”

Fougere allegedly replied, “Very sorry! I won’t contact you anymore!”

When Goldstein caught up with Fougere outside a store, he said the officer had nothing to say.

The VA said they were doing an internal investigation regarding the alleged misconduct. The officer has been reassigned without any law enforcement authority while the probe is conducted.

The woman said that was a good thing.

“He’s supposed to be there to protect these veterans,” she said, “and this is how he’s acting.”

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.COM) — With the city of Los Angeles facing a $200 million deficit, we found some city councilmembers purchasing fancy cars at the expense of taxpayers.

Veteran LA City Councilman Bernard Parks drives to work in style — arriving at City Hall in his brand new 2013 Lincoln MKS. And you paid just over $50,000 for it!

CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein obtained the bill of sale, which was made out to the city of Los Angeles. The luxury sport utility vehicle was paid for by taxpayers — and according to Parks, it’s not an extravagant purchase.

Goldstein asked Parks about his new vehicle.

“You just recently got a luxury car through the city, a Lincoln,” Goldstein said.

“Depends on what you call luxury,” Parks said.

“A Lincoln’s not a luxury car?” Goldstein said.

“Well it’s not a luxury car to me,” he said.

Parks and his fellow councilmembers are already the highest paid in the nation with a salary of more than $181,000 a year. On top of that, they can get a car and free gas.

The guidelines say “any vehicle equivalent to a full-size sedan.” Money spent while the city has a projected $200 million deficit.

“Why not buy a less expensive car than a luxury car?” Goldstein asked Parks.

“The issue is if I’m within the guidelines of the city, which they established over 10 years ago, then I feel that I am complying with the rules,” Parks said.

Parks says he plans on purchasing the car from the city when he terms out of office next year, claiming that will save money. But he’s not the only one with a new set of wheels.

This is City Council President Herb Wesson getting into his new, fully loaded 2013 Ford Explorer. The cost? More than $48,000 and, again, billed to taxpayers.

It’s complete with chrome wheels and option package 303a which, according to the Ford website has heated and cooled leather seats, a heated steering wheel for those cold LA days and voice-activated navigation.

Goldstein caught up with Wesson to find out more about his new vehicle.

“A lot of options the average Angeleno can’t afford?” Goldstein asked Wesson.

“David, I didn’t order — I don’t know anything about cars. I indicated the kind of car I wanted. My folks ordered whatever they ordered. At the end of the day it’s on me,” Wesson said.

According to the invoice, it’s an Explorer Limited which is top of the line. Ford photos show the “Limited” name of the back of the car. But not on Wesson’s — sources say it was removed after the car was purchased.

“Did you instruct that?” Goldstein asked Wesson.

“Maybe my staff. I don’t remember instructing that directly,” Wesson said.

He’s not alone. City Councilman Joe Buscaino of San Pedro also has a new 2013 Explorer Limited — with the Limited name missing.

Buscaino’s SUV was more than $50,000 of taxpayer money, loaded with the same options — plus a DVD player. Goldstein caught up with Buscaino to ask him about this option.

“How does that benefit the people of the city with a DVD player in your car?” Goldstein said.

“You know, great question, “Buscaino said. “I have two young kids and my family goes to a number of events with me.”

“You think it was necessary?” Goldstein asked.

“No. You got me on that one,” Buscaino said.

We surveyed major cities across the country and found only Philadelphia, Detroit and Los Angeles provide cars to their elected officials. New York, Dallas, San Francisco and Seattle and many others do not give vehicles to city councilmembers.

Mayor Eric Garcetti says he remembers “having a clunker that I drove for many years.”

Garcetti drove a 2002 Toyota for much of the time he was on the council. He says he has no control over what cars councilmembers drive — but says they should save money.

“We need to reduce costs, we need to try to be as frugal as possible and if we’re asking people to sacrifice on city services or city employees to sacrifice in our contracts, we need to mirror that as well,” Garcetti said.

Kris Vosburgh of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association says new expensive cars send the wrong message.

“The message it sends is they live in a bubble. They either don’t have any idea of what’s going on around them and the difficulties that people in the real world are facing or they just don’t care, Vosburgh said.”

Either way — some are driving in style.

APPLE VALLEY (CBSLA.com) — Hundreds of confidential patient records from a local dentist’s office were found dumped in Apple Valley.

CBS2’s David Goldstein reported that the referral forms from 1-800-DENTIST to Dr. Samuel Kim, who specializes in laser and implant dentistry, were discovered in a vacant lot behind the home of Carolyn Lindblade.

“We found the papers up against the block wall in the field over there,” Lindblade said.

The forms, which were from 2010 and 2011, included people’s names, addresses, phone numbers, and in some cases, social security numbers and birthdates.

The information for Debra and Robert Hatch was discovered in the dozens of papers, Goldstein reported.

The form included Debra’s name, the couple’s home address, phone number, cellphone number and email address. It also had Robert’s employer, social security number and birthdate.

Debra said she provided the information to Kim’s office when they inquired about insurance.

“See, when you call 1-800-DENTIST, it’s supposed to be confidential, and they hook you up so to speak with the proper dentist and come to find out this happens,” Robert said.

The duo is now concerned about identity theft, something they went through 15 years ago.

“I’m just praying that nobody has got our information. We’ve struggled enough through the years and this is just going to hurt if they did get our information again. And we are totally innocent. This isn’t fair to us,” Debra said. “I’d like to know why. Why this was done.”

Goldstein tracked down Kim, who said he didn’t know how the forms ended up in the field.

Asked if the forms were supposed to be shredded, Kim said, “Yeah, I’m going to have to find out what happened.”

Kim said he would follow-up with Goldstein, but never did.

In a statement, a spokesman for 1-800-DENTIST said, in part, “1-800-DENTIST takes the confidentiality of patients we refer to our member dentists seriously. We do not collect or communicate sensitive information such as social security numbers or dates of birth.”

HERMOSA BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A local school district is facing scrutiny once more after the board had paid for a whole-life insurance policy on its now-suspended superintendent, whose lavish salary was already inflated.

Centinela Valley Union High School District Superintendent Jose Fernandez came under fire when it was revealed he brought in $663,000 in total compensation in 2013 — that’s more than the President of the United States makes annually.

Documents from the school district, obtained by KCAL9 investigative reporter Dave Goldstein, suggest the district is paying an additional amount of over $50,000 each year for a $1,000,000 whole-life insurance policy in Fernandez’ name.

“From what I can tell, the cash benefit here, the cash value would revert entirely to the policy owner, Mr. Fernandez,” veteran insurance agency executive Raymond Arouesty told CBS2/KCAL9′s Dave Bryan.

As opposed to a more affordable term-life insurance policy, which most people have, a whole-life insurance policy allows Fernandez to cash the policy in for over $150,000, assuming the policy’s payments are made on time.

“The insured person could at any time, even in the first year, give these policies — give one or both of them — back to the insurance company, and receive the cash value,” Arouesty said. “Those amounts are guaranteed in the policy.”

If the district were to make payments for the policy, which was taken out in 2010, over the next six years, Fernandez would then be able to cash the policy out for just under $500,000.

Also included in the school districts documents was the paperwork for an additional $750,000 whole-life policy with Fernandez listed as the insured owner.

While it is not yet known whether the second policy was taken out as a replacement for the initial policy, or whether it was taken out as a separate, additional policy, the arrangements for the policy itself appear to be nearly identical.

“I don’t know why an entity would buy a policy that had so much, such a substantial cash value increase, because what it does is just increase the price of the policy” Arouesty said. “If there was a need or desire to provide a death benefit, it certainly could have been done in a cheaper way with a term-life insurance policy.”

Teachers Association President Jack Foreman, meanwhile, calls the policy another way in which Superintendent Fernandez can rack up a huge payout at the expense of the schools.

“This is many, many hundreds of thousands of dollars that is again being spent on Superintendent Fernandez, instead of on the students of our school district,” Foreman said.

Fernandez was placed on administrative leave on April 9, following a sudden, closed-door meeting with the school board. Fernandez’ suspension was announced as an investigation was being planned.

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (CBS2) — The severe drought crisis has residents across California cutting back on their water usage but CBS2 has learned officials have been pumping millions of gallons of fresh water into a South L.A. park touted as a water conservation project.

It’s taken both a toll on the environment and taxpayers. Investigative reporter David Goldstein found the city has poured more than 19 million gallons of fresh water into the South L.A. Wetlands Park.

Located at 55th and Avalon, the park was designed by the city to take storm water from the sewers, treat it and then turn it into a picturesque lake.

The park cost taxpayers more than $26 million, most coming from Proposition O bond money. Prop O allocates money – up to $500 million – to fund projects that prevent or remove pollutants from the region’s waterways and oceans.

When the park first opened, a press release said it could treat 680,000 gallons of stormwater a day. Signs placed around the lake indicate it’s being replenished by the filtration of dirty water.

But Goldstein found the lake’s dirty secret.

Department of Water and Power bills show the L.A. Department of Sanitation poured more than 37,000 gallons of fresh water a day between December 2013 and January 2014. During that 33-day period, around 1.2 million gallons were pumped into the lake – that’s a day’s worth of water for more than 3,400 homes with a family of four, according to the DWP.

The city has used 19,917,744 gallons of fresh water for the wetlands since July 2012 – that’s enough for a day’s worth of water for 56,000 homes for a family of four.

That has reportedly cost taxpayers $70,789.80 in DWP bills.

Park-goer Kaunda Waters didn’t know the park’s dirty secret.

“I thought they were recycling it. So it’s not from the mountains coming down here? So, it’s wasted water then, in other words?” Waters said.

It seems L.A. City Councilmember Joe Buscaino didn’t know about it either.

The Chairman of L.A.’s public works committee touted the park’s water conservation in January when the city received an Envision Platinum Award for the project.

“The South Los Angeles Wetlands Park is a shining example of Proposition O dollars at work and, in this emergency time of drought, finding new and innovative ways to conserve and clean stormwater is more important than ever,” Buscaino said.

L.A. Sanitation Director Enrique Zaldivar says he’s not hiding any dirty secrets.

“Nothing ever mentions the use of fresh water…how come?” Goldstein asked him.

“We always anticipated the need for supplemental water,” said Zaldivar, who refers to the fresh water used as supplemental water, and claims the park is working just as designed.

Early planning reports on the park projected it would only use roughly 2.2 million gallons of fresh water a year, even in drought conditions, and only between May and August. In the past 12 months, CBS2 learned they’ve used more than 12 million gallons of fresh water.

So why did the city initially say that 680,000 gallons of stormwater would be treated there daily?

City officials admit the numbers are 90 percent less, estimating 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of stormwater are treated a day. On some days, the city is actually pumping five times more fresh water just to keep the lake full.

Once the water runs through the system it gets dumped into the storm drain and out to the L.A. River and no city official had any problems with that.

“We’re using supplemental water during the establishment period,” Zaldivar said.

“Look, I hear you. I know the average person sounds like, ‘Wow, it’s fresh water going into a lake.’ But if you don’t put that water in there it’s dirty, it violates federal law,” Garcetti said.

“It’s definitely a waste of fresh water,” according to environmental activist Joyce Dillard. “I think it’s bond fraud — they promised the public something and they didn’t deliver.”

After almost two years of DWP bills the city last month suddenly shut the water off. Officials claim recent rains prompted it and not the CBS2 investigation.

They admit more fresh water will be needed, at least in the early stages, and they can’t say if that will ever end — even in a drought.

Zaldivar told Goldstein, “I cannot tell you now we can make an edict and say stop the use of supplemental water, I cannot tell you that right now.”

Since CBS2 began inquiring into the situation, the city says it will look into using recycled water in the future.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com)  —  The city of Los Angeles breaks ground Monday on a new police facility in Northeast LA.

Some officers are concerned their current home is literally making them sick.

As CBS2′s Investigative Reporter David Goldstein reports, the officers don’t believe the new building will be much better.

LAPD Officer J.C. Duarte gets emotional when he reads off the names of colleagues who have died from cancer.

“James, Mike, Bill, Reggie…,” says Duarte, his voice trailing off, “Sorry.”

“I worked with these people. They were my friends,” says Duarte.

All the men worked together at LAPD’s Northeast Division on San Fernando Road.

Duarte says in 27 years there, he’s seen his share of illnesses.

“In ’91,” says Duarte, “I was working with a partner who ended up dying of a very rare cancer and it started raising some flags. About four years later, I developed a tumor that my doctor was unable to explain.”

He’s not alone, Goldstein reports.

The name of the disease is Pemphigus Vulgaris, an autoimmune disorder that involves sores and blisters to the skin and mucus membranes.

Officer Lenning Davis also works the Northeast Division.

“In early 2000,” says Davis, “I was diagnosed with an extremely rare autoimmune disease that has hospitalized me twice and put me on medications that I’ll have to be on for the rest of my life.”

Then there’s Officer Kelly Mahon. She’s been diagnosed with brain cancer. She also works at the Northeast station.

“When somebody shows you a picture of something on your brain — a big ball –  that’s not supposed to be there, it’s a little shocking,” Mahon says, “It’s a little overwhelming.”

Officer Mahon didn’t want to be interviewed for this story but gave the okay to let Goldstein show her on a YouTube video where she says she hopes to recover from her illness.

The officers think it is more than just coincidence that all these illnesses have struck them. The building used to house a Kodak film processing lab that used toxic chemicals. The officers believe the building’s history had led to their illnesses.

“I have no other explanation for it, I don’t know 10o percent that it was given to me by this station. But I feel that it has,” Davis said.

The officers are told Goldstein the illnesses don’t seem to be just happening now.

Joe Galindo worked as an officer in the Northeast division when it opened in 1983 until he retired in 2007.

Goldstein asks Galindo, “What do you remember though back then about any problems?”

Galindo replies, “The only thing I remember is it was always in everyone’s mind. The station is toxic. There’s people dying of cancer here,” Galindo said.

CBS2 did a report about the station in 1996. That report showed something eating through the outside wall. It also showed rooms there, sealed and awaiting an environmental cleanup. At the time, officers were complaining about headaches and cited cases of cancer.

Fast forward to 2014.

In just a few days, the city will break ground on a new $30 million station — set to be completed late next year.

The only problem, according to some of the officers, is that it’s located right next door to the old station.

Many officers believe that doesn’t make sense.

“My concern is they’re going to build the new station and we’re moving in, they’re going to start demolishing the old station and they’re going to find some things that are very hazardous,” says Duarte..

Environmental studies done by the city confirm that.

“Chemical contaminants have been identified in the soil under and adjacent to the existing administration building. They include cyanide, heavy metals, hydrocarbon compounds, and a ferro-cyanide dye commonly known as Prussian Blue”

However, the building project still got a green light.

“No evidence of significant soil contamination was observed”

Goldstein asked LAPD Assistant Chief Sandy Jo MacArthur is she believed the new building was safe?

“I do,” she said.

MacArthur told Goldstein that she’s been assured there’s no safety concerns but knows some officers are fearful.

“My own son works there,” she says, “He’s a police officer who’s young on the job.  So I am aware the concern continues to surface.”

MacArthur pointed out that studied in the late 90s found no serious health hazards.

She admits LAPD hasn’t done a comparative study on illnesses in the Northeast division versus other stations in 14 years.

The last time the study was done, in 2000, there was no difference.

“No difference in the cancer rates?” Goldstein asks.

“At this point, no,” says MacArthur. “But we are still looking at it to make sure there are no issues.”

Officer Duarte can ask for a transfer but says Northeast is his home.

“I love it here,” he said.

The department says they’ll distribute data that will show it’s safe to work on the premises — the current building and the future one.

They’re hoping, reports Goldstein, that the new building will put to rest the old fears.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A security company has been issuing parking tickets that may be fooling drivers, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

Private security guards who work for Management Security Services, Inc. and City Parking Enforcement, Inc. have been handing out citations that look similar to those issued by a city parking officer or police officer.

Richard Raquidan received a $15 ticket from City Parking Enforcement in March for having a missing front license plate while parked in his apartment complex.

“The ticket looks like it’s from like, the city of Los Angeles,” he said.

The ticket, which came with a “you must respond within 10 days” message, also included an official-looking envelope to pay the fine, which was addressed to the Citation Processing Center in Los Angeles.

“It has all the similar looking statements that make it look like a real ticket,” Raquidan said.

Raquidan’s cousin Allan was cited for an invalid parking permit, which was a $50 fine.

He told Goldstein that he has a valid permit, but it wasn’t properly displayed.

“It actually makes me very angry, as I said, that they would use the name City Parking Enforcement to legitimize what they are doing to unknowing citizens,” Allan said.

L.A. Department of Transportation Deputy Chief Brian Hale said people are being duped.

“Clearly, the fact that they designed this to resemble an actual citation would indicate that clearly they were trying to mislead,” he said.

According to the California attorney general, private property owners have no authority to issue citations with monetary fines.

Debbie Andelin said she got a citation in a Garden Grove lot, but found out the ticket could be worthless.

Asked if she paid for it, Andelin said, “No. They can’t [come after me.]”

Garden Grove police are now investigating Management Security Services.

“In my opinion, it may be fraudulent, and I think it could be a felony for them to be doing this depending on how many of these citations are out there,” Garden Grove police Lt. Ben Stauffer said.

Goldstein visited Jesus Flores, the owner of Management Security Services and the president of City Parking Enforcement, according to public records.

Both companies operate out of a small storefront in Compton, the same site where Flores apparently used to run a taco restaurant.

Asked if he has the right to give out such tickets, Flores said, “I do not know what you’re talking about, sir.”

When Goldstein told Flores that the attorney general’s office said that private property owners don’t have the right to give out citations, Flores said, “Okay, well, that’s their opinion.”

For an example of a ticket from the CBS2 investigation, click here.

For an example of a ticket from the city of Garden Grove, click here.

For an example of a ticket from the city of Los Angeles, click here, here and here.

NORCO (CBSLA.com) — An off-duty LAPD officer allegedly was recorded getting into an argument with a group of African-American men and slinging racial slurs and now some officers and city officials want to know why he hasn’t been fired.

CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein obtained a police report that goes into detail about the night 33-year-old Shaun Hillmann, the nephew of former LAPD Deputy Chief Mike Hillmann, got into an altercation at a bar in Norco in 2012.

Part of the incident was captured on a tape recorder belonging to a Riverside Sheriff’s deputy.

On the tape, the Hillmann is heard referring to one of the five African-American men involved as a monkey.

“Dude, I’m watching this ****** monkey that we arrested 500 times — He’s a full-blown bro, he looks like Lil’ Wayne – reach for a waistband under his shirt, trying to intimidate me,” the off-duty officer says on the tape.

The security guard at the bar said Hillmann began arguing with the men and called them the “N word.”

“What was he saying to them?” the deputy on scene can be heard asking the security guard.

“’N**** this, n**** that.’ I mean, all of them were! I mean, we heard him. You know, he was claiming, ‘They were coming at me!’ and I go, ‘No, they weren’t! They were upset because you were calling them n**** this, n**** that!’” the guard replies.

During an LAPD disciplinary hearing, Hillmann allegedly denied making any racial remarks. He also allegedly lied about the incident to LAPD investigators, which included whether he pulled out his weapon, according to a security guard.

“Then, the next thing I know, he’s saying he’s got a gun. And I go, ‘Well, if you have a gun keep it wherever it’s at!’ Next thing, I turn around and he’s got the ******’ thing pointed. I turn around and it’s basically in my face. I mean, I can’t believe he pulled a gun,” the guard said.

In the disciplinary hearing, Hillmann also denied being drunk. But he told deputies that night he consumed beer and that he was “f***** up.”

Afterwards, Hillmann is heard refusing to take field sobriety tests.

According to the report, Hillman “became defensive and stated he should not have to [submit to a test] because he is a cop and that he should get special treatment.”

Moments later, Hillmann was released. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department says there was not enough evidence to charge him with a crime.

An LAPD disciplinary board ruled Hillmann should be fired because of the incident but LAPD Chief Charlie Beck overruled the decision, cutting it to a 65-day suspension without ever listening to the tape.

“Have you heard the tape? Have you heard his words?” Goldstein asked Beck.

“People who work for me have heard the tape,” the police chief responded.

“You don’t want to hear it? I have it,” Goldstein said.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Beck replied.

L.A. City Councilman Curren Price listened to the tape and thinks Beck should hear it too.

“It brings the hatred home,” said Price, who thinks Hillmann deserves more discipline and should possibly be fired.

“He needs to be held accountable for his actions. I’m not convinced merely docking his pay was enough,” Price said.

Beck defends his actions and denies favoritism.

“Should police officers be using these words whether on-duty or off? Of course they shouldn’t. That’s why there’s a significant penalty attached. Absolutely they should not. That’s why we attached a penalty that’s relevant to the offense,” Beck said.

Despite the harsh criticism that Clippers owner Donald Sterling has received after an allegedly racist conversation of his became public recently, Beck says he stands by his decision not to fire Hillmann.

“Do you think this is something that once the public hears this tape that you should revisit it?” Goldstein said.

“I can’t revisit. There are laws about what we do and I can’t reverse things that have already been done,” Beck said.

Several veteran African-American LAPD officers disagreed with the chief’s decision and wanted to speak with CBS2 if we kept their identities hidden.

“Yes, certainly he should be fired. There’s an old saying, ‘If you lie, you fry,’” one officer told Goldstein.

“”If he lied to Internal Affairs, who’s to say he didn’t lie on an arrest report with someone who’s black,” another officer said.

“Is this someone who you could work with out on the streets?” Goldstein said to the officers.

“Excuse the expression: hell no. I wouldn’t trust him,” an officer replied.

L.A. Police Commission President Steve Soberoff also disagreed with Beck’s decision.

Nonetheless, the decision is final. In addition to Hillmann’s 65-day suspension he was also ordered to seek substance abuse counseling.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — While the city of Los Angeles is looking into raising taxes in order to fix potholes, CBS2’s hidden cameras captured what repairs were really being made on the streets.

Peter Genovese knows about potholes firsthand.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was a flat tire immediately,” he said.

Last February, Genovese’s tires were ripped after he hit a pothole, which he estimated to be two or three feet long and a few inches deep, on Plummer Street in Northridge.

“I was a little bit mad at myself for not seeing it at the time, but also mad that there was a pothole that big in the street,” he said.

The pothole on Plummer Street was eventually repaired, presumably by a repair crew.

The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services said there is only enough money in the budget for 12 crews to cover the entire city.

CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein, however, said some crews didn’t seem to be in any kind of hurry to fix the streets.

A camera captured a truck leave a yard in South Los Angeles. The crew’s only assignment that day was to fix an uneven sidewalk in the Melrose district, where someone tripped and fell.

Instead of heading directly to the job site, two male workers stopped for breakfast at Nick’s Cafe in downtown Los Angeles.

The men left 40 minutes later. They arrived at the job site three hours after their shift began.

They worked for 30 minutes before one of the men went home sick.

In another instance, one of the same workers got into a city truck after stopping for breakfast again.

Goldstein then followed the workers around town, where they worked, stopped for lunch, and then worked some more.

The men only filled potholes for about two hours and 20 minutes of their eight-hour day.

A week later, Goldstein ran into Kelly Miller, one of the workers.

Asked why he went to breakfast while people are driving over potholes, Miller remained mum.

Miller then went into his truck, where he made a call on his radio before coming back out.

“I’ve just been advised that I can’t talk to you. There’s a media, there’s a media procedure, and they just told me I can’t talk to you, so,” Miller said.

Goldstein obtained Miller’s worksheets for both days. It never mentioned stopping to eat before starting to work.

The video of Miller was shown to Nazario Sauceda, the head of the Bureau of Street Services, who couldn’t say if going to breakfast on taxpayer money before fixing a pothole was a violation of policy.

Asked if workers are supposed to note when they take a meal break on their worksheet, Sauceda said, “Typically, yes, they do that.”

He added, “I really need to check what happened at that location. I really need to perform an investigation, and then at that time, I will let you know if indeed they were in violation of policy or procedures.”

Goldstein followed another repair crew who was supposed to fill potholes in West Los Angeles.

While Goldstein said they did work to fix the street, they only worked for two hours of their eight-hour shift.

Goldstein said he saw them at the yard at 12:50 p.m. and saw them leaving in their personal cars before 2 p.m.

On the workers’ daily worksheet, however, the crews claimed they began repairs at 10:25 a.m., they were at their last location at 1:05 p.m., and they arrived back at the yard at 2:30 p.m.

Asked if the worksheets were supposed to be fairly accurate, Sauceda said, “They are supposed to be extremely accurate, so if they are not accurate as per your comments, we will take the necessary actions.”

Goldstein also saw some crews sitting and reading the newspaper or taking the long way to and from their locations.

Goldstein said his investigation comes at a time when Mayor Eric Garcetti is pushing for street repairs. The city council is also contemplating a half-cent sales tax on the November ballot to fix a crumbling infrastructure.

Garcetti said that he will be looking into what Goldstein uncovered.

“City time should be for city business and I’ve asked the department to investigate this,” he said.

Political watchdog Jack Humphreville now calls the proposed tax a recipe for disaster.

“If they can’t figure out how to manage filling potholes, how the hell are they gonna figure out how to fix 40 percent of our streets?” he said.

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — This summer is shaping up to be one of the busiest travel seasons ever, and that can spell out problems at airports.

CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein has obtained a database of every 2013 complaint filed about Los Angeles International Airport with the federal government.

More than 10,000 complaints were filed about every airport in the world to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Luggage problems tend to be one of the biggest issues travelers have with LAX.

“When we had gotten here, there was one piece of luggage and it took three hours to get the other one. I was pissed,” LAX traveler Cheyanne Cranmer said.

Not the welcome she and her boyfriend, Jamal, expected when they landed from Philadelphia last week.

One person who experienced flight delays with United Airlines at LAX called it “abysmal customer service.”

Another traveler on Aeromexico said: “Picked up my luggage in LAX and, when I got home, the laptop had been stolen.”

Another vacationer flying Air Canada said she “felt racially discriminated” by the attendant at the LAX counter.

So how does LAX rank among airport complaints?

LAX ranks third in the nation, having received 336 complaints in 2013.

Chicago O’Hare placed at second with 409 complaints and JFK is number one with 502.

The top complaint about LAX involved flight problems.

That doesn’t surprise travelers like Gerard Danishek: “It’s always in the back of my mind when I get to the airport, if I’m going to be delayed for mechanical.”

The DOT compiles the data to make sure airlines are in compliance with consumer protection laws. In some instances, a series of complaints can lead to civil charges.

When it comes to airlines at LAX, United received the most complaints with 91 filings. It’s the largest carrier at the airport so it’s likely it would have a higher number.

When asked about the complaint filings, United sent CBS2 the following statement:

“United’s on-time performance, baggage handling and customer satisfaction scores have each improved at Los Angeles International Airport year over year since 2012, with baggage handling up by 25 percent in the last year alone. We have also provided new customer service training to our airport agents and flight attendants to ensure they deliver a better experience for our customers.”

Coming up in second with 69 complaints is American Airlines.

Jeffrey Spring, of AAA, says the number of complaints at LAX are to be expected.

“LAX is one of the busiest airports in the country, so I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that there have been certain issues with some terminals or airlines, especially as we’re coming toward the summer travel season,” Spring said.

He advises air travelers to arrive early, have paperwork ready and make sure luggage is identifiable.

Travelers can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation here.