A prominent Democratic contributor recently faced allegations of residing in a $12 million residence in California that belongs to former ABC News President Steve McPherson.
The Los Angeles Magazine recently published a report exposing the alleged ransacking of McPherson’s home in the Pacific Palisades area. According to the report, Gaurav Kumar Srivastava, a frequent donor to Democratic campaigns, has been implicated in the incident.
In an exclusive interview with the Los Angeles magazine, McPherson revealed that he had agreed to lease his $12 million California home to Srivastava during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The arrangement was for several months, with Srivastava agreeing to pay $55,000 per month for the rental. However, when his lease ended after six months, he refused to vacate the property.
There have been several incidents in various states across the U.S. in recent months where homeowners have encountered problems with squatters living in their properties. Homeowners have been struggling to evict these individuals from homes that they do not legally own.
Squatters’ rights refer to laws known as “adverse possession” that allow individuals to gain ownership of something, typically real estate, by occupying or residing in it for a specific period of time, also known as squatting.
According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, Srivastava has previously contributed to several Democratic political campaigns in recent years. However, Politico reported in March that the Biden campaign decided to put a hold on a $50,000 donation from Srivastava due to concerns regarding the donor. Similarly, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stated that they would be setting aside donations from Srivastava for the “foreseeable future.”
In an interview with Los Angeles magazine, McPherson recounted the events that unfolded after the six-month lease came to an end. He was informed by a housekeeper that a significant portion of the furniture in the house had gone missing and that the lock to the wine cellar had been broken. Upon returning to the property, Srivastava denied him entry, leading McPherson to contact the Los Angeles Police Department for assistance. Eventually, the police accompanied him into the house.
In September, McPherson successfully evicted Srivastava from the house; however, the house sustained substantial damage and unpaid rent amounted to approximately $2 million. McPherson decided to take legal action and filed a criminal complaint with the Los Angeles Police Department. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles County District Attorney decided not to pursue charges, as reported by Los Angeles magazine.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office was contacted by Newsweek for comment.
“The laws in California may seem unreasonable at times. I often advise people, ‘It’s best not to rent out your home because in California, tenants have very few rights,'” McPherson shared with the magazine. “I wonder what it actually takes for someone to face prosecution in Los Angeles?”
McPherson was contacted by Newsweek through LinkedIn for additional comments.
McPherson has reportedly filed multiple lawsuits against Srivastava, as reported by Los Angeles magazine.
