August 28, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Beverly Hills Developer Pleads Guilty to Bribery Related to $45 Million Government Lease

Arman Gabaee faces up to 10 years in prison

By Sam Catanzaro

A Beverly Hills developer faces up to 10 years in federal prison for offering to buy a million-dollar home for a Los Angeles County public official in exchange for assistance securing a $45 million county lease. 

Arman Gabaee, 61, a.k.a. “Arman Gabay,” of Beverly Hills, plead guilty April 27 to one count of bribery, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

Gabaee will enter his guilty plea on May 2 before United States District Judge George H. Wu. He also has agreed to pay a fine of at least $1,149,000 and any restitution ordered.

Gabaee was a co-founder and co-managing partner of the Charles Company, a Hollywood-based commercial and residential real estate development firm. The then-county official whom Gabaee bribed was Thomas M. Shepos, 72, of Palmdale, who worked in Los Angeles County’s Real Estate Division and was involved in awarding contracts to real estate developers and contractors.

According to his plea agreement, beginning no later than 2011 and continuing until April 2017, Gabaee paid Shepos bribes and kickbacks of approximately $1,000 per month in exchange for county leases, preferential contract terms, non-public information and other benefits. From December 2016 when Shepos began cooperating to April 2017, Gabaee paid Shepos $6,000 in cash bribes during meetings Shepos secretly recorded at the direction of the FBI.

Further, in 2017, Gabaee offered to buy Shepos a Northern California home – then worth more than $1 million – in exchange for Shepos’ assistance securing a county lease in the Hawthorne Mall, which Gabaee owned and was redeveloping. 

“Gabaee wanted the county to enter into a 10-year, $45 million lease for county departments to rent office space in the Hawthorne Mall,” prosecutors said. 

During other secretly recorded meetings with Shepos, Gabaee first offered to purchase him a home listed at $1,199,000 in Sonoma County. Upon learning that this property was already in escrow, Gabaee offered to buy Shepos a different house, listed at $1,095,000, and also located in Sonoma County. Gabaee placed two offers on this property, first for $1,035,000 and later for $1,065,000. Gabaee admitted in his plea agreement that he rescinded the second offer hours after he made it because FBI agents had approached and informed him that they were aware of his bribes to Shepos.

Shepos pleaded guilty in November 2018 to one count of making false statements to federal investigators who were investigating his financial relationship with Gabaee and one count of subscribing to a false tax return related to payments he received from Gabaee. Shepos is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27.

Related Posts

(Video) The Opening of Mr. Charlie’s with Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete

August 28, 2025

August 28, 2025

Vegan burger restaurant with brightly colored decor now open on 26th street across fromthe Brentwood Country Mart. The Opening of...

California Pizza Kitchen Debuts Heart-Shaped Pizza Celebrating Swift–Kelce

August 28, 2025

August 28, 2025

13 Days of Engagement Pizzas, and Return of Hot Honey Flavors California Pizza Kitchen is rolling out a series of...

Culver Hotel Celebrates 101 Years With 101 Anniversary Menu and Live Music

August 28, 2025

August 28, 2025

Guests Can Enjoy a Four-Course Meal, Nightly Performances, Trivia Contest The historic Culver Hotel is celebrating its 101st anniversary this...

Westside Chefs Shine at the Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival in September

August 27, 2025

August 27, 2025

South Bay’s Culinary Festival Returns With Two Nights of Food, Wine, and Music Santa Monica, Westchester, Los Angeles, and West...

(Video) Come Tour The Willows Community School!

August 27, 2025

August 27, 2025

Sign up for a tour at The Willows and come see what makes our school such a vibrant, inspiring place...

Metro LA’s Aug. 30 Deadline for Public Comment on Sepulveda Transit Draft EIR Approaches

August 27, 2025

August 27, 2025

Community Members Can Weigh In Before the 90-Day Comment Period Closes. Metro is reminding community members that the 90-day public...

Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Culver City, and Uni High Gear Up for Early-Season Games

August 26, 2025

August 26, 2025

The Centaurs, Eagles, Normans, and Wildcats Face Key Matchups This Week Football season is heating up across our area, with...

Brentwood’s Diesel Bookstore Hosts Author Terri Hanauer for The Lightness of Rain Launch Event

August 26, 2025

August 26, 2025

Santa Monica-Based Author Will Join Writer Gary Goldstein for a Free Sept. 2 Discussion Santa Monica-based author, director, and actor...

I-405 to See Lane Reductions, Ramp Closures as Pavement Rehab Project Continues

August 26, 2025

August 26, 2025

Drivers Should Expect Delays With Overnight Work Aug. 26–28, Sept. 5 Motorists using Interstate 405 through the Sepulveda Pass should...

Suspect Arrested After Eight-Hour SWAT Standoff in Jefferson Park Shooting

August 26, 2025

August 26, 2025

 Police Say a Man Was Killed and a Suspect Barricaded Himself Inside a Home Hours after a fatal shooting near...

Attorney General Rob Bonta Secures Release of $900M in Frozen Education Funds for California

August 25, 2025

August 25, 2025

Trump Administration Agrees to Release Frozen Education Funds  California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Friday that the Trump administration has...

Brentwood’s San Vicente Medians Set for Makeover With Drought-Tolerant Landscaping

August 25, 2025

August 25, 2025

Residents Can Weigh In on Plant Choices Through an Online Survey Plans are moving forward to upgrade San Vicente Boulevard’s...

“Rich Rollin” Burglary Crew Linked to 92 Break-Ins Taken Down in LAPD Operation

August 25, 2025

August 25, 2025

Ten Suspects, Including Confirmed Gang Members, Face Charges Nearly 100 residential burglaries across the city have been tied to a...

18-Year-Old Woman Fatally Shot While Trying to Break Up a Fight on a Metro Bus

August 24, 2025

August 24, 2025

Police Say the Teen Was Killed in Westchester After Intervening in a Dispute  Efforts to break up a fight on...

Chuck Lorre Buys $27.5 Million Bel Air Mansion With Hollywood Regency Pedigree

August 24, 2025

August 24, 2025

TV Producer Closed on the John Elgin Woolf–Designed Estate at a Discount Chuck Lorre, the television producer behind The Big...