AG Bonta Announces Action on Cryptocurrency, Sextortion Fraud — Increasingly Targeting Gen-Z
California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned residents about rising cryptocurrency fraud and online sextortion scams, urging Californians to recognize warning signs and protect themselves as scammers increasingly target younger people through social media.
Speaking at a news conference on Oct. 19, Bonta said Americans lost $20.9 billion to internet-based scams in 2025, including $11.4 billion to cryptocurrency scams. He said artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and malicious smart contracts have made fraud easier to carry out and more difficult to detect and prevent.
While older Californians remain targets, Bonta said his office has seen a sharp rise in reports of Gen Z consumers being targeted on platforms such as Twitch, TikTok, and Instagram.
One growing scheme involves so-called rug-pull scams, in which fraudsters promote low-priced stocks or volatile cryptocurrencies through online investment groups and streaming communities. After generating interest and driving up prices, scammers sell their holdings, causing values to collapse and leaving investors with losses.
Bonta also warned about sextortion, in which scammers trick or coerce victims into sharing explicit images before threatening to distribute them to friends and family unless they pay. He advised victims not to give in to demands, saying scammers often do not release the images when victims refuse to pay. Instead, he recommended ignoring and blocking the perpetrators.
Another scheme, known as recovery fraud, targets people who have already lost money to cryptocurrency scams. Fraudsters impersonate blockchain recovery specialists or law enforcement officials and demand additional payments while promising to recover stolen assets.
Bonta urged Californians to be skeptical of promises of large returns on small investments, fake cryptocurrencies resembling established ones, and celebrity endorsements that may have been generated using artificial intelligence. He also warned that scammers can use AI to impersonate loved ones through manipulated video and audio.
“Never use a crypto ATM,” Bonta said, emphasizing that transactions can be difficult to trace and reverse and that the machines lack adequate consumer protections.
His office has shut down more than 100 fraudulent websites over the past two years that collectively scammed victims out of at least $8.3 million, he said.
Bonta also highlighted Senate Bill 1208, which he said was recently signed into law. The measure allows law enforcement to petition a court to return seized cryptocurrency to victims, including when alleged perpetrators are outside U.S. jurisdiction.
Residents who have fallen victim to scams can report them to the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report.
Bonta also urged victims not to feel embarrassed, stressing that scammers are responsible for the harm they cause.
Steve Hilton Blasts Xavier Becerra for Condescending Remark About Black Americans
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton criticized Xavier Becerra over remarks about Black Americans during a recent radio interview, arguing that Becerra’s response overlooked concerns about housing, education and the rising cost of living.
In an Oct. 19 statement, Hilton condemned Becerra’s comments during an interview on KBLA Talk 1580 with host Tavis Smiley. Asked what he would do for Black voters, Becerra said he would not “promise you 40 acres and a mule” before citing cash bail reform as an example of his commitment.
Hilton called the response condescending and said it reflected a narrow understanding of Black Californians’ priorities.
“Instead of talking about expanding homeownership, improving schools, or lowering the cost of living, Becerra’s first concrete example was bail reform,” Hilton said.
Hilton contrasted Becerra’s answer with his own policy priorities, which include streamlining housing construction, expanding vocational and career pathways, and addressing affordability challenges that he said have driven working families out of California.
He argued that Black Californians deserve policies that expand economic opportunities rather than what he described as symbolic gestures and recycled political talking points.
Seneca Scott, an Oakland activist and host of the Gotham Oakland podcast, also criticized Becerra’s remarks. Scott recently joined Hilton at a town hall in San Jose.
In a post on X, Scott said Becerra delivered the comment as a punchline and questioned the results of Democratic leadership in California. He cited concerns about schools, neighborhood conditions, homelessness and family stability.
Hilton’s campaign said the candidate has prioritized outreach to Black communities, pointing to a recent interview with the Los Angeles-based newspaper OurWeekly. The campaign also said Black Californians consistently rank economic opportunity, quality schools, safe neighborhoods and the cost of living among their leading concerns.
“Black Californians deserve better than symbolic gestures and recycled talking points,” said Hilton. “They deserve a governor who will actually expand opportunity—not one who treats their aspirations as a political box to check.”
Hilton has discussed his vision for California in previous appearances with Smiley and attended KBLA’s recent “California Voices: A Political Town Hall and Ballot Forum,” according to his campaign.
The campaign’s statement did not include a response from Becerra to Hilton’s criticism or the full context of the radio interview.
A Fresh Start: Newsom Announces New Plan to Help Incarcerated People Prepare for Reentry
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new rehabilitation-focused housing community at California State Prison, Corcoran, designed to help incarcerated people develop job skills, take responsibility for their actions, and prepare for life after release.
The initiative, announced Oct. 21, establishes an “honor dorm” that currently houses about 100 incarcerated people. The program is part of the state’s California Model, which emphasizes rehabilitation, personal responsibility, and preparation for returning to the community.
Participation is voluntary and subject to eligibility requirements, including behavior, classification, and willingness to engage in programming. Residents have access to education, vocational training, rehabilitative programs, and employment preparation.
“Public safety doesn’t end at the prison gate. It means holding people accountable while giving them the tools to change, prepare for a job and return to their communities ready to contribute,” Newsom said.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Secretary Jeff Macomber said the initiative connects housing and programming with expectations for accountability.
“The goal is for people to use their time in prison productively and leave better prepared for the responsibilities ahead,” Macomber said.
The Corcoran initiative builds on the state’s rehabilitation efforts at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, which Newsom announced in 2023. In February 2026, San Quentin opened an 81,000-square-foot Learning Center to expand access to education, workforce training and reentry preparation.
State data cited in the announcement found that 81.5% of people who earned Rehabilitation Achievement Credits remained conviction-free three years after release. The rate was 76.7% for those who earned Educational Merit Credits and 66.7% for people who participated in general rehabilitative programming.
The figures reflect outcomes among participants in different programs but do not establish that rehabilitation alone caused the results.
The state says the California Model aims to reduce repeat offending and improve public safety by helping incarcerated people build skills and prepare for employment and community life after release.
California also provides services to crime victims and survivors through its Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services, which assists with rights, notifications, and access to support.
Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson Tackles Food Insecurity, Barriers to Eating Healthy
California state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) convened a hearing in San Diego on Oct. 21 to examine food insecurity, barriers to accessing nutritious meals, and the role of state programs in improving public health.
The Oct. 21 hearing at the San Diego County Operations Center in Kearny Mesa brought together experts in food access, health care, and education to discuss the challenges facing families across California and potential policy solutions.
Jared Call, director of public policy and advocacy at the California Association of Food Banks, told lawmakers that 24% of California adults experienced food insecurity in 2025. Call also said 16 million Californians live in communities where the cost of basic needs, including housing, health care, transportation, child care, and food, exceeds their income.
Feeding San Diego estimates that about 430,000 people in San Diego County, including 123,000 children, experience food insecurity.
“Addressing inequality means listening to our community,” Weber Pierson, a Democrat representing the 39th Senate District, said as the hearing began. Sen. Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista) also participated.
Witnesses emphasized that food insecurity can have serious consequences for physical health. Dr. Alexandra Kharazi, a cardiothoracic surgeon who advocates for cardiovascular health, described how poor nutrition and limited access to fresh food can affect patients before and after surgery. She also highlighted disparities in food access in San Diego’s South Bay.
The hearing also focused on California’s Universal Meals program, which provides public school students with breakfast and lunch at no cost. Kim Frinzell, director of Nutrition Services at the California Department of Education, said schools served more than 868 million breakfasts and lunches during the 2025-26 school year.
Frinzell urged lawmakers to maintain funding for the program, citing research linking universal school meals to reduced food insecurity and improved educational outcomes. Alicia Hauser, executive director of Food and Nutrition Services for San Diego Unified School District, also called for continued investment in school kitchens and enough time for students to eat their meals.
Other proposals raised during the hearing included expanding community gardens, improving nutrition education, and strengthening food assistance programs. Public commenters also urged lawmakers to protect access to CalFresh benefits and support food banks facing increased demand.
Weber Pierson said the hearing would inform future policy discussions in Sacramento, including efforts to sustain school meal funding during a difficult budget year.
The discussion highlighted the connections between food access, household costs, health, and education, as lawmakers consider ways to help Californians obtain nutritious food.
Three Black Californians Among Governor Newsom’s Latest Appointees
Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced several appointments and reappointments to state boards and commissions, including three Black Californians: San Diego community advocate Shane Harris, Oakland City Councilmember Kenneth Houston, and accounting professional Kristian Latta of Eastvale.
The appointments span youth justice, financial oversight, water management and public administration.
Kenneth Houston, who has represented Oakland’s Seventh District on the City Council since 2025, was also appointed to the State Advisory Group on Youth Justice. Houston previously served as director and project manager at the Beautification Council from 2012 to 2024. He also serves on the Oakland Coliseum AEG Community Advisory Board.
Neither youth justice appointment requires Senate confirmation, and both positions are unpaid.
Kristian Latta was reappointed to the California Board of Accountancy, where she has served since 2022.
Latta currently works as an event accounting consultant at Insomniac Events. Her previous positions include financial reporting consultant at Snap Inc., accounting consultant at Alo Yoga and head of finance at Danger Jones.
She previously founded The Chic CPA and serves as second vice president of the National Association of Black Accountants’ Los Angeles chapter.
Newsom also appointed political consultant Garry South of Marina del Rey to the California Water Commission. South previously advised former Gov. Gray Davis and worked on Newsom’s gubernatorial campaign.
Nancy Corrigan of Glendora was reappointed to the California Board of Accountancy. A partner at Singerlewak LLP, Corrigan has served on the board since 2018.
Beatriz Gonzalez of Indio was reappointed to the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board. A former Coachella Valley Unified School District administrator, Gonzalez also serves on the Desert Community College District Board of Trustees.
