Councilmember's Son Pleads Not Guilty To ID Fraud, Other Charges

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — Adam Friedman, son of Councilmember Lester Friedman, pleaded not guilty on Monday to multiple charges including identity theft, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

Adam was charged on Wednesday with one felony count of identity theft and one misdemeanor count of internet/electronic impersonation, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The charges are related to a fake social media account posing as newly elected Councilmember Sharona Nazarian, who was running for her first term at the time, according to the DA.

Adam Friedman's preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 28 in Department 50 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Lester Friedman was running for office at the same time and eventually won reelection for his second term. Friedman's house was searched on June 9 in connection with the fake Instagram account, the Beverly Hills Courier reported. At the time, Friedman told the Courier he and his campaign were "fully cooperating with the investigation."

The fake Instagram account, called "Sharona4Gascon," claimed Nazarian supported District Attorney George Gascón, according to the Beverly Press. Gascón's recall has been a key issue for Beverly Hills. The District Attorney is unpopular among City Council members, who often attribute local crime trends to Gascón's progressive policies like the elimination of cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent felonies.

Few close to the city have publicly commented on the incident, but Councilmember John Mirisch called the charges "bogus" given the District Attorney has failed to pursue similar incidents and shows questionable priorities, according to the Beverly Press.

Patch reached out to Lester Friedman for comment. Sharona Nazarian told Patch it was not appropriate for her to comment on an investigation. The city of Beverly Hills pointed Patch to the DA's office and Lester Friedman for comment.