Ventura County taxpayers are footing the bill for yet another sexual harassment settlement, and the financial wreckage left behind by former CEO Mike Powers has officially crossed a major milestone.
The county has agreed to pay $285,000 to a former Health Care Agency executive who alleged that Powers harassed her and subsequently orchestrated her firing after she reported the behavior.
This latest payout follows a massive $3 million settlement reached just last month with another female staffer who accused Powers of sexual and racial discrimination.
The combined cost of these two scandals now sits at a staggering $3.28 million.
Despite the multimillion-dollar payouts, the county continues to maintain a stance of "no wrongdoing" in the settlement agreements.
The situation takes an even bolder turn as Powers himself is currently fighting the county in court.
The former top executive has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, attempting to play the victim and claiming he was pushed out unfairly.
As the public picks up the tab for these allegations, the legal battle over who is truly responsible for the "Powers era" continues to drain local resources.
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Published: Apr 24, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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