California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced the filing of 31 criminal charges and two enhancements against US Framing West and two of its employees. The charges, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, include allegations of grand theft, payroll tax evasion, prevailing wage theft, and filing false documents with the state. These charges stem from activities between 2018 and 2022 when US Framing West was involved in framing construction projects across California using unlicensed subcontractors.
Attorney General Bonta stated, "California has some of the strongest worker protections in the country, but there are still too many who are willing to skirt the law to make an extra buck." He emphasized his office's commitment to protecting workers' rights and encouraged reporting potential labor law violations at oag.ca.gov/report.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation revealed that US Framing West allegedly failed to pay over $2.5 million in state payroll taxes and underpaid workers by approximately $40,000 on a public works project in Cathedral City. The investigation began after the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council reported potential wage theft at an Oakland construction site.
The DOJ's joint investigation involved support from several state agencies, including the California Department of Insurance, California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), and Employment Development Department (EDD). It covered allegations spanning multiple counties: Alameda, Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Clara.
US Framing West is accused of engaging in prevailing wage theft by not paying required wages on public works projects funded with more than $1,000 of public money. Attorney General Bonta remains committed to combating unfair labor practices. In recent years he has been active in defending workers' rights through various legal actions.
A copy of the complaint is available for review. It is important to remember that a criminal complaint contains charges that must be proven in court; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.