MURRIETA, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / August 18, 2025 / Federal whistleblower Richard R. Lawless has filed a motion in the United States District Court for the Central District of California seeking to have his civil rights lawsuit against the United States formally designated as a case of public interest.
The case involves allegations that senior officials at the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of the Treasury knowingly concealed evidence of fraudulent Puerto Rico municipal bonds prior to the passage of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). These actions allegedly deprived more than 170,000 creditors of their property rights, undermined federal market regulation, and misled Congress.
The lawsuit's importance is heightened by three ongoing Inspector General investigations-two within the Department of Justice and one within the SEC-as well as an active California State Bar Association investigation into the conduct of four Assistant U.S. Attorneys involved in this case. A pending Ninth Circuit Judicial Misconduct proceeding (Case No. 25-90081) against the presiding judge further underscores the case's public importance.
"This is not just my case-it's about government accountability and the right of the public to know how billions in taxpayer and investor funds were handled," Lawless said.
If granted, the motion would require the court to ensure public notice of hearings, remote access to proceedings, and prompt publication of all non-sealed filings.
Case Information:
Richard R. Lawless v. United States of America
Case No. 5:25-cv-01599-JWH-SP
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Contact:
Richard R. Lawless
30279 Redding Avenue
Murrieta, CA 92563
(951) 440-5230
richardrlawless@gmail.com
SOURCE: Medlaw Publishing
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/whistleblower-plaintiff-moves-for-%22public-interest%22-designation-in-federal-cas-1060649
