More Coliseum Payments Uncovered

Another former official for the state-owned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has been implicated in a financial scandal surrounding the venue.

Previous Coliseum GM Patrick Lynch received hundreds of thousands of dollars from a stadium contractor over several years, according to documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

Janitorial contractor Tony Estrada claims he deposited roughly $300,000 in a Miami bank account under Lynch’s name and told Coliseum attorneys the funds came from an increased rate for janitorial services.

But an attorney for Lynch has denied the claims, alleging payments between Estrada and Lynch were tied to a boat the men had agreed to purchase together.

“It was a private business manner, and they were buying the boat and they were spending a lot of money repairing the boat,” attorney Tony Capozzola told the Times.

Capozzola added that Estrada, who no longer holds a contract with the Coliseum, brought forth allegations as payback against Lynch after the GM failed to assist in a case involving Estrada’s company.

David Israel, the president of the commission that oversees the venue, told the Times an investigation of Estrada’s claims took place and results were turned over to the District Attorney’s Office.

“If the allegations are true, then the Coliseum is the victim of a crime,” Israel said.

The allegations against Lynch are merely the latest scandal to rock the Coliseum this year.

The City Controller’s office launched an audit of the venue’s books last month and a criminal investigation has been under way since a former events manager at the facility was found to have earned at least $1.8 million through side deals with companies that did business with the commission.