Rave Scandal Rocks Coliseum Official

A former events manager for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission has come under investigation by local and state authorities after reports indicated he moonlighted as a paid consultant for a rave producer while working for the commission.

Todd DeStefano represented the Coliseum Commission in planning security and medical services for the Electric Daisy Carnival last June. At the same time, he failed to file a financial disclosure stating that he was a paid consultant for the event’s producer, Insomniac Events, according to records obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

One member of the commission – executive director Patrick Lynch – was privy to the fact that DeStefano had taken up a second gig.

Lynch signed off on the arrangement, reportedly reducing DeStefano’s salary and changing his title after he began working with Insomniac. But Lynch also failed to notify Coliseum commissioners of DeStefano’s new job, a fact that hasn’t jibed with several officials.

“We have now learned that the fox was left guarding the hen house since our staff in charge of planning security at raves was also secretly working for the rave organizer,” Commissioner Rick Caruso said in a statement. “Our executive director Pat Lynch was aware of this clear conflict of interest, approved it and hid it from the commissioners.”

DeStefano was also found to have hired a lobbyist in efforts to persuade commissioners to continue to allow raves following the death of a teen concertgoer at Electric Daisy, the paper reported. He continued to work for the commission through January.

Lynch has claimed to know nothing of DeStefano hiring a lobbyist.

Commissioners have vacillated for some time over allowing raves at the Coliseum after more than 100 concertgoers were hospitalized and 34 were arrested on felony drug charges during last year’s Electric Daisy Carnival.

Commission President David Israel told the Times that in light of the DeStefano affair, he’s withdrawn his support for a return of the festival to the Coliseum.

DeStefano is under investigation by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office and the state Fair Political Practices Commision, the paper said.