Former Palm Springs mayor receives probation, $325,000 fine for bribery

Former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet was sentenced Wednesday to two years of probation and ordered to pay a $325,000 fine after pleading guilty to bribery charges connected to a reported conspiracy with real estate developers in the city.

Pougnet’s guilty plea in May covered charges related to a 2012-2014 alleged conspiracy with developers Richard Meaney and John Wessman, in which the former mayor acknowledged he received payments for assisting with development projects before the Palm Springs City Council. Riverside County prosecutors alleged that Pougnet received more than $200,000 through sham consulting payments from Meaney and Wessman.

Meaney pleaded guilty in 2023 and accepted a misdemeanor plea in exchange for probation. His sentencing is scheduled for July 28. Wessman was also charged in the case but was acquitted by a jury on June 16 on nine counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy after weeks of testimony.

Pougnet admitted to more than 20 felonies, including bribery, conflict of interest and conspiracy. The charges stemmed from his support for key projects such as the Desert Fashion Plaza redevelopment and the Kimpton Rowan Hotel in exchange for the payments.

The sentencing came after Riverside County Superior Court Judge Samuel Diaz Jr. read statements from former council members Christopher Mills and Ginny Float, both requesting leniency for Pougnet. The District Attorney’s office opposed the probation sentence, though the judge noted that two of their key witnesses in the case had advocated for the lighter punishment.

Despite receiving probation rather than jail time, Pougnet will be classified as a convicted felon and must repay $325,000 to the city of Palm Springs. The judge characterized Pougnet’s actions as a “crime of greed” during the sentencing hearing.

The case first came to light after an FBI raid on Palm Springs City Hall in 2015. The federal investigation was later handed to Riverside County prosecutors in 2016, leading to a 2017 criminal filing and a 2019 grand jury indictment.

Pougnet is currently residing in Michigan, where he will remain under supervision throughout his probation period, according to City News Service. He continues to receive pension payments from the city of Palm Springs and has indicated he plans to use those funds to satisfy his financial obligations to the city.

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