1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Every university has a scandal every now and then, we 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: just have the flavor of the week. 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 2: That's William Tierney, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California. 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 2: He's been at USC for almost three decades and he's 5 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 2: seen the place get caught up in scandal, and not 6 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 2: just every now and then. 7 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: What is it about USC that has created a non 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: ending bit of scandalmania for the institution? 9 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 2: I've asked myself that same question many times, what is 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 2: it with USC and its scandals? My colleagues and I 11 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 2: have exposed a number of them over the years, and 12 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 2: it's not that we go looking for them, they find us. 13 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 2: My name is Paul Pringle. I'm an investigative reporter for 14 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 2: the La Times. This is Fallen Angels. This story is 15 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 2: about power and money and how they can eat away 16 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: at a place, corrupt it and destroy people lives in 17 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 2: the process. It's the story of an investigation that starts 18 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: in a hotel room in Pasadena, California, and reaches all 19 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 2: the way to the top of two of the most 20 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 2: powerful institutions in the city of Los Angeles. This is 21 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 2: episode two The Trojan Wall. Devon Khan was working at 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 2: the hotel Constance in Pasadena. He'd been there when a 23 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: young woman overdosed on drugs. The man she was with 24 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 2: was questioned by the police, but was allowed to just 25 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: walk away. It turned out that the man was the 26 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 2: dean of USC's medical school. His name is Carmen Puliaffido. 27 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: The cops had done nothing, and USC itself had just 28 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: ignored Devon's call. He'd been trying to get a tip 29 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,559 Speaker 2: to the La Times when he met a Times photographer 30 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 2: named Ricardo de'r atonia. 31 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 3: Boy, do I have a tip for you? And he's like, well, 32 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 3: I'm just a photographer, but what's the story. So I 33 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 3: laid it out for him and he's like, yeah, that's 34 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 3: a story. He goes like, I said, I'm a photographer, 35 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 3: but I can get the tip to the right person. 36 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 2: Ricardo and the editors bring the tip to me since 37 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 2: I have some history investigating USC, so I called Devon Khan. 38 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 3: I get a call from Paul. He says, yeah, I 39 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 3: understand that you know you have a tip. Would you 40 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 3: mind explaining to me what happened. 41 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: Dev On's story is detailed and thorough. He seems like 42 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: a credible source, but he does have one important condition. 43 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 3: Does the Tip understand that I need to remain anonymous. 44 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 3: Can't have this jeopardizing my job at all. He assured 45 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 3: me that I would remain anonymous. He says, Okay, I'm 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 3: going to start looking into this. He goes, I'm definitely 47 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 3: going to have to give you a call back from 48 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 3: time to time. Is that okay? 49 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 4: I say, sure, whatever you need. 50 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 2: The Times has strict guidelines for granting anonymity to sources. 51 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 2: They need to have a compelling reason to go unnamed, 52 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 2: like the fact that they would get fired if they 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 2: were identified. Devon makes that case to me convincingly. But 54 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 2: before I could even think about building a story around 55 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 2: an anonymous Tip, I have to check out, nail down 56 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: every detail of Devon's account. This is the starting point 57 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 2: of the investigation. First, I checked to see if there 58 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 2: has been any recent news about Puliafido. 59 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 4: And yeah. 60 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 2: It turns out that eleven days earlier, he had quote 61 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 2: stepped down as dean of the medical school. The press 62 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: release gives no reason for his sudden resignation, and it's 63 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: in the middle of the school term, which seems like 64 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: strange timing. I scrub public records for more on Puliaffido. 65 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 2: I find a recent divorce petition filed by his wife. 66 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: At the same time, I reach out to the coroner's 67 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: office to see if there's been a death of a 68 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: young woman in the past few weeks who matches the 69 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: description Devona had given me. And I head over to 70 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 2: the Passing A Police department to get a copy of 71 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: the police report from the incident. The Pasadena A Police 72 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 2: say there is no police report, just a heavily redacted document, 73 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 2: a log that shows the police accompanied paramedics on a call. 74 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 2: Considering what Devon has told me about what he witnessed 75 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 2: in the hotel room, the fact that there's no police 76 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 2: report strikes me as very odd. 77 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 5: Any situation where somebody is seriously injured or likely to 78 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 5: die or is dead, those are the cases that would 79 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 5: be an automatic complaint report. 80 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: Joseph Jackalone had a long career as an NYPD detective 81 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 2: with a specialty in forensic investigations. He's one of the 82 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 2: experts I contact for law enforcement stories. 83 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 5: If you find lots of paraphernalia at the scene, or 84 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 5: guns and drugs or whatever you might find, those will 85 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 5: have to have a report because there's nothing on paper. 86 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 5: There's nothing to investigate, there's nothing to charge, and that's 87 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 5: why documentation becomes its real important and any attorney in 88 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 5: the world will tell you that if it wasn't document 89 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 5: that it wasn't done. 90 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 2: And the fact that there was a camera potentially filming 91 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 2: everything in the room that raises all kinds of questions. 92 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 5: What were they filming? There's lots of evidence that could 93 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:21,599 Speaker 5: be found on that video, including the illegal user narcotics, 94 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 5: who was using them, and how they were being administered. 95 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 2: But when I asked the police spokesperson about the lack 96 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 2: of a report, I'm told the incident had been viewed 97 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 2: as a quote, medical emergency, not a crime. I also 98 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 2: contact US's executive offices several times, trying to reach USC 99 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 2: president Max Tikias to ask him why the dean is 100 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 2: a medical school has suddenly stepped down. No response whatsoever, 101 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,799 Speaker 2: and then I get an email from Pulliafido himself. 102 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 4: Pull Fido right quote. 103 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 2: I understand from my colleagues here at USC that you've 104 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 2: been inquiring about my stepping down as dean of the 105 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 2: medical school. I wanted to reach out to you directly 106 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 2: and let you know that my decision was entirely my 107 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: own The timing of my decision was related to a unique, 108 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 2: time limited opportunity in the biotech industry, something which I 109 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: am looking forward to sharing with others soon. US was 110 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 2: nice enough to grant me a sabbatical to explore this opportunity. 111 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 2: I got that email from him on April twenty of 112 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 2: twenty sixteen, a couple of weeks into my investigation. Naturally, 113 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 2: I write him back saying I have questions, and I 114 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 2: call I tell him I'm aware of the events occurred 115 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 2: on March fourth at the Hotel Constance, and I intend 116 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: to pursue the story. 117 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:45,599 Speaker 4: No reply. 118 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 2: I have the same luck with the Kias and the 119 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 2: people close to him silence. I'm not surprised, but a 120 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: lack of response from USC's leaders. Silence had become their 121 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 2: typical way of dealing with me. I've investigated USC more 122 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,239 Speaker 2: than once a colleague, and I discovered that USC's athletic 123 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 2: director was paying himself and his family members from a 124 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 2: scholarship fund for low income students. I investigated a cheating 125 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 2: scandal involving the coach of the USC football team, the Trojans, 126 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 2: And then there was our reporting on the deal that 127 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: gave US control of the publicly owned LA Coliseum. 128 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 6: The coliseum was built to honor World War One veterans. 129 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 4: That's been our Parks. Most people call him Bernie. 130 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 6: It's the only place in the world that's had the 131 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 6: kinds of major events, the first Super Bowl, multiple Olympics, 132 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 6: a visit of the Pope. It's basically one of the 133 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 6: most recognized facilities in the world. 134 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: Bernie Parks was chief of the LAPD from nineteen ninety 135 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: seven to two thousand and two. For the next twelve 136 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: he served as a member of the La City Council, 137 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: representing the eighth district in South LA. He's also a 138 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 2: USC alum. The coliseum part of his district is very 139 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 2: important to him and his constituents. 140 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 6: This house sc football for decades because it's right across 141 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 6: the street. It's not a modern football facility as we 142 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 6: see on TV, whether it's NFL or other college stadium. 143 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 6: Sc it always hinted at they not only wanted to 144 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 6: have more upgrades of the facility, they also hinted strongly 145 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 6: that if these things couldn't be done, they would like 146 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 6: take over the facility. 147 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 2: In twenty eleven, USC launched an aggressive campaign to take 148 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 2: control of the coliseum to a master lease that would 149 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 2: extend for nearly a century. The decision on whether to 150 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 2: accept US's proposal was up to the commission that managed 151 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 2: the coliseum parks. 152 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 4: Was on that commission. 153 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 6: They actually sent a proposal to the Colisseum Commission and 154 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:05,079 Speaker 6: unanimously the commission rejected it. Members of the Colisim Commission 155 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 6: actually laughed at the deal because it was so preposterous. 156 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 6: It was like, give us the colissem and let us 157 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 6: run it, and community was not even part of the equation. 158 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 6: And so a letter was sent with unanimous signatures from 159 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 6: every member of the college in commission saying no, thank you, 160 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 6: we don't want to participate. This is not a deal 161 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 6: for the city. But s He did what it does. 162 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 2: And what s He does is deploy its powerful trustees 163 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 2: and other allies to lean on the commission. 164 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 6: The amount of money that they have is significant, the 165 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 6: amount of influence they have as far as their graduates 166 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 6: and their alumni, the amount of exposure they get from 167 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 6: their athletic program. They don't have any problem pushing their 168 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,439 Speaker 6: weight around as it relates things that they want. They 169 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 6: went to Schwarzenegger as the state and they insisted that 170 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 6: with his three of appointments, could he make one of 171 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 6: them a member of SC's management or their board, and 172 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 6: so he agreed to that. 173 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 2: Parks believe that after Governor Schwarzenegger made those appointments to 174 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 2: the Coliseum Commission, resistance to a USC takeover started to 175 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,199 Speaker 2: crumble for some reasons. 176 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 6: When Schwarzenegger got convinced that this was a good deal, 177 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 6: all of a sudden, the state begin to send messages 178 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 6: quietly that they were in support of this. And so 179 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:38,079 Speaker 6: this process continues, and the Coliseum Commission approves this deal 180 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 6: and it moves forward. You're basically giving away a facility 181 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 6: that was built for military veterans, and you're giving it 182 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 6: to a private entity with the ability for them to 183 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 6: do with it as they please and keep all the money. 184 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 6: There is absolutely no benefit to the city, County. 185 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 4: And state. 186 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:02,719 Speaker 2: Bernie says the proach in playbook. Whenever it faces resistance, 187 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 2: USC calls on its network of power brokers to neutralize 188 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 2: the opposition. 189 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 6: I think what it shows when people fall in line, 190 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 6: they fall in line. 191 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 2: It's now June, three months since the overdose at the 192 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 2: hotel Constance. Two months into my reporting, I learned from 193 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 2: a person within USC that President, Nikias is hosting a 194 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 2: celebration for Puliafido in honor of all he has done 195 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 2: for the medical school. The reception will be held at 196 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 2: the Kech School of Medicine on the Law and outside 197 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 2: of building name for Eli and Edith Broade, the La 198 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 2: billionaire couple who's thirty million dollar gift paid for it. 199 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 2: They made the gift three years into Puliafido's tenure esteem 200 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 2: perhaps a testament to his fundraising skills. My source shows 201 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 2: me the invitation they foresee for the event. It's Emboston 202 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 2: gold on heavy stock. Very nice. I'm definitely not invited, 203 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 2: but I show up anyway. I'm out the city US. 204 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 2: He's a private cool but the campus clearly invites entry 205 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 2: by the public just in case. Though I'm careful not 206 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 2: to break any trespassing rules. I make sure to stay 207 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 2: on the sidewalk and off the university's lawn. It's a 208 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 2: little hard to hear from where I'm standing, but here's 209 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:18,959 Speaker 2: the gist. Nikias is extolling Puliafito's many accomplishments as Dean Pulliafido. 210 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 4: Thanks his wife. 211 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 2: I'll have to check the status of that divorce file. 212 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: This is the first time I've seen Pulliafido in person. 213 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 2: I'm struck by his confidence. He appears as if he 214 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 2: has nothing to worry about. My investigation included why would 215 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 2: the president of USC put on such a public show 216 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 2: of appreciation for Puliaffido, especially if he knew that the 217 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 2: La Times is investigating him. It might have something to 218 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 2: do with the priorities that drove Max Nichias. Professor William 219 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 2: Tierney had been at Penn State before coming to US 220 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety four. 221 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:07,559 Speaker 1: When I went to SC, a lot of my friends said, Geez, 222 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: SC is not of the same caliber as Penn State. 223 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: Why would you be moving to USC. There's an association 224 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: called the AAU, the Association of American Universities, and that's 225 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 1: the elite institutions. At the time, SC was at the 226 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 1: bottom of the AAU and trying to move up. Steve 227 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,959 Speaker 1: Sample came in with a great deal of energy and 228 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: really wanted to transform the institution. 229 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 2: Steve Sample was president of USC from nineteen ninety one 230 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: to twenty ten. Tierney saw what he was trying to do, 231 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 2: and he believed Sample could pull it off. 232 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: For a university to be the best, it's not that 233 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: we've got a winning football team. It's that you've got 234 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: a faculty that are the best and you are listening 235 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: to what they say they need. And that also meant 236 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: that we needed to bring in enormous amounts of money 237 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: in a capital campaign. 238 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 2: Ample devoted himself to fundraising NonStop, and when he retired, 239 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,199 Speaker 2: Max to Kia seemed like the perfect choice to continue 240 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 2: that pursuit. 241 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:11,439 Speaker 1: Max was someone who if you called from New York 242 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: and said, I've got Joe and he's willing to have 243 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: breakfast with you tomorrow and he might give us big money, 244 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: but you need to be here for breakfast. Max would 245 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: take the Red Eye and if he knew that he 246 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: needed to be back in Los Angeles that night for 247 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: some type of dinner, he'd do it. 248 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 2: Yikias's drive is understandable when you consider his background as 249 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 2: an immigrant who came to this country intent on making 250 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 2: something of himself. 251 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: Max came from a very poor family in Cyprus. His 252 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: father was a carpenter. His father said to him at 253 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: one point, you're a smart, smart boy. I might send 254 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 1: you to high school and if you work hard, you 255 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: can graduate, then become a carpenter. For Max to graduate, 256 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: go to the United States, to go to a Sunni 257 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: Buffalo to get his doctorate, comes to USC, rises through 258 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: the ranks and become a president. 259 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 2: I'm agazing, and his rise brought him into the same 260 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 2: room with a lot of rich, powerful, famous people. 261 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: When you're having dinner with Steven Spielberg, that's a different 262 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: sort of undertaking. I do think that created a disconnect 263 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: between the world of the faculty and the world of 264 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: la At Max's inauguration, he said, USC, we have to 265 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: work so hard that we have to run a marathon 266 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: at a ten k speed. I went up to him 267 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: afterwards and I said, Max, you can't do that, and 268 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: you shouldn't tell people to do that, and he said, oh, 269 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: but we have to. 270 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 2: When he was recruited to USC to run the medical school, 271 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 2: Holdieffido understood perfectly that the mandate was to bring in money, 272 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 2: and he delivered. 273 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: Fundraising in the United States is sort of an odd thing. 274 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: If you're at Columbia or Harvard, there's a lot of 275 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: old money and foundations that will give you money. The West, 276 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: especially Los Angeles, is the opposite of that. It's a 277 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: lot of new money and you need to be charismatic 278 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: in a way that maxim Carmen had they knew how 279 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: to court donors successfully, and they did it. 280 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 2: By the time he quote steps down as dean, Pulldiofido 281 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 2: has become the public face of the medical school. If 282 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: the dean were to get caught up in a scandal, 283 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 2: it would be bad for USC. This backslapping ceremony at 284 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 2: the Kech School of Medicine might be a face saving 285 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 2: gesture for Pulliffido, but maybe it's one for USC as well. 286 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 7: This was a story that had the potential to hold 287 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 7: a powerful institution and a powerful person accountable for misconduct. 288 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 2: Matt Lay was my editor at this time. Throughout his career, 289 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 2: he's seen his share of corruption and cover up. 290 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 7: I was at the La Times for about twenty eight years. 291 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 7: I always tried to focus on investigative reporting, both as 292 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:11,400 Speaker 7: a reporter and an editor. I worked with reporters who 293 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 7: uncovered corruption at city hall, abuses, in the La County jails. 294 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 7: I worked on investigations about dirty doctors, and prior to 295 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 7: the USC investigation, I was working on one about Purdue 296 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 7: pharmat These are tough. 297 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 3: Stories to do. 298 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 7: They can be controversial, they can have an impact. 299 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: On the paper's reputation. 300 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 7: The paper's finances, the paper's legal standing. They are all 301 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 7: issues that need to be considered when taking on powerful institutions. 302 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 7: But my feeling is that these are good stories. 303 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:43,400 Speaker 4: They should be. 304 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 2: Published with Matt's support. I keep digging. I find Pullio 305 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 2: Fido's home address. It's a mansion in Pasadena. Of course, 306 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 2: it sits behind a high security gate. No way to 307 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 2: knock on his door. I leave my business card with 308 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 2: a note on his mail, urging him to get in touch. 309 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 2: He doesn't. Finally I get a break. I've made multiple 310 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 2: public records requests to opacitying of police, including for the 311 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 2: information redacted on the call log from the incident. I 312 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 2: need a way to verify what Devon has told me, 313 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,360 Speaker 2: and the best way to do that is through police records. 314 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,439 Speaker 2: So I've been chasing them constantly with no response. But 315 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 2: then the police chief writes that the records are requested 316 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 2: are exempt from disclosure because they're part of a criminal investigation. 317 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 4: Wait a minute, what investigation? 318 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,880 Speaker 2: How could you have an investigation without a police report? 319 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 2: The chief set a trap for himself and walk right 320 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 2: into it. Now the city will have to cough up 321 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 2: a report. 322 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 7: This story, like a lot of investigative reporting to me 323 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 7: is like detective work. You're out knocking on doors and 324 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 7: chasing leads and gathering them from me and filing public 325 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 7: records requests. There's a couple of different thoughts in journalism, 326 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 7: and the one I think Paul was favoring and I 327 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 7: was supportive of it was, let's go with what we know, 328 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 7: shake the tree and unearth other details that we didn't know. 329 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 2: And finally, shaking that tree actually gets me something. The 330 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 2: passing a police department admits they made a mistake. After 331 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 2: months of saying there's no police report because there is 332 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 2: no need for one because this was a medical emergency, 333 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 2: not a crime, the department creates one retroactively three months 334 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 2: after the incident. The police spokesperson tells me they dropped 335 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 2: the ball because of a quote training issue. I've never 336 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 2: seen anything like it in my career. Neither has former 337 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 2: detective Joseph jackalone. 338 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 5: Police departments have policies and procedures and protocols. For a reason, 339 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 5: we had a saying and said, went in doubt, fill 340 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 5: it out. So if you didn't know you had to 341 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 5: fill out a report, just fill it out. The worst 342 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,439 Speaker 5: thing that could happen is that the supervisor, who has 343 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 5: to sign off on it, says, you know what, this 344 00:19:58,080 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 5: isn't necessary, so we're just going. 345 00:19:59,359 --> 00:19:59,959 Speaker 3: To get rid of it. 346 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 2: Finally I get access to not just the very tardy 347 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 2: police report, but also recordings of the nine one one 348 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 2: calls made. 349 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 4: From the hotel. 350 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 2: At first, I'm only given the recording of the call 351 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 2: that Devon made. 352 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 5: Are you able to transfer me to that room? 353 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: Or? 354 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 2: But it cuts out when the dispatcher asks to be 355 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 2: transferred to room three oh four. Then the Pasadena City 356 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 2: manager sends me a second recording that he says the 357 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:30,479 Speaker 2: city was quote able to obtain, and it's quote a 358 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 2: better version of the nine to one one call, and 359 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 2: it continues longer than the original file. Good does make 360 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,879 Speaker 2: me wonder why wouldn't the city release the second recording immediately? 361 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 4: Why hold it back? 362 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 2: I finally get to hear from myself while the second 363 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 2: recording is quote better, did. 364 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 3: She wake now? 365 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 7: No, she's sort of very bride. 366 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 5: You know. 367 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 7: Do you know how much she drinks a. 368 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 8: B I mean I came in the room and. 369 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 3: There were lots of didn't you take any deals with it? 370 00:20:57,760 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 7: Or just the alcohol? 371 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 2: I think just the alpha the call places pull your 372 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 2: feto at the scene. We know from the report there's 373 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 2: meth in the room, and here he is present at 374 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 2: the overdose of a young woman, and you can hear 375 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 2: that he lies. He doesn't mention the drugs that, according 376 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 2: to Devon and the police report were found in a room. 377 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 2: So far, everything Devon con has told me has checked out. 378 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 2: I have plenty to run my story. My editor, Matt Laatee, agrees. 379 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 7: The first draft was well documented, based on police reports, 380 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 7: nine to one one recordings, interviews with key people. It 381 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 7: was a solid story. 382 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 2: There might be more to report in follow up stories, 383 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 2: but the details we have are bulletproof. 384 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 4: The hot shot, Din. 385 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 2: Of USC's medical school has caught up in an incident 386 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 2: where a young woman has overdosed on drugs and he 387 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:45,920 Speaker 2: lies to the police. 388 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 4: Then he mysteriously steps down. It looks bad and it's essence. 389 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 7: This is the story about a powerful man abusing his 390 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 7: position and authority, and then on top of that you 391 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 7: have an institution that is essentially covering up before this man. 392 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 2: It's Friday, the end of the day. I'm on my 393 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 2: way out the door. I stop and talk to my 394 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 2: friend Jack Leonard. 395 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 8: I've been at the Los Angeles Times for more than 396 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 8: twenty five years. I started as an intern there in 397 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 8: nineteen eighty seven, and I've covered many different beats, police, crime, 398 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:26,640 Speaker 8: county government. I've done a lot of investigative work. Paul 399 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 8: is excited about every really good story. 400 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 4: That he works on. 401 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,120 Speaker 8: When he finds some wrongdoing, when he finds something that 402 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 8: authorities or powerful people are trying to keep him, he 403 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 8: gets very excited about it. And that's contagious, and he 404 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 8: likes sharing that. 405 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 4: Like many of us do. 406 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 8: So he comes over to my desk and he starts 407 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 8: telling me about the story. 408 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 2: I tell him about Puliafido and USC, the stone walling 409 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 2: from the cops, the retroactive police report. 410 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 8: I remember him talking about Pasadena police and how they 411 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 8: were not providing him with the requids that they were 412 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 8: supposed to be providing. 413 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 4: But Jack's reaction is not what I expect. 414 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,919 Speaker 8: I said something to the defects of what makes you 415 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 8: think they could have publish that? 416 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 2: And that's when I start to think, how far does 417 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 2: USC's influence actually go? Is it possible that it could 418 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 2: extend all the way into my own newsroom? Next time 419 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 2: on Fallen Angels as. 420 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 8: An investigative reporter. Every story could be your lost. 421 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 2: Matt and I face an uphill battle trying to get 422 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 2: our Pullia Fido story in the paper. 423 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,639 Speaker 7: I was in this defiant mode and kind of clung 424 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 7: to the idea that Dagon City wasn't closing the door 425 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 7: to more reporting. 426 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,360 Speaker 4: So we decide to force the issue. 427 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 3: I remember being in the conference room and Matt had said, like, look, 428 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 3: we're going to do this thing. 429 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 4: We're just going to keep it on the downlow. We're 430 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 4: going to make it so they have to publish Paul story. 431 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 4: That's next time. On Angels. 432 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 2: Fallen Angels, The Story of California Corruption is a production 433 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 2: of iHeart Podcasts in partnership with Best Case Studios. I'm 434 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 2: Paul Pringle. This show is based on my book Bad City, 435 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 2: Peril and Power in the City of Angels. Fallen Angels 436 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:22,120 Speaker 2: was written by Isabel Evans, Adam Pinks, and Brent Katz. 437 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 2: Isabel Evans is our producer, Brent Katz is co producer. 438 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 2: Associate producers are Hanna Leebowitz, Lockhart and On Pajo Locke. 439 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 2: Executive producers are Me, Paul Pringle, Joe Picarello, and Adam Pinkus. 440 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 2: For Best Case Studios. Original music is by James Newberry. 441 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 2: This episode was edited by Max Michael Miller with assistants 442 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 2: from Nisha Venkat. Additional editings, sound design, and additional music 443 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 2: by Dean White. Harriet Ryan, Matt Hamilton, Sarah Parvini and 444 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 2: Adam Almarik are consulting producers. Our iHeart team is Ali 445 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:01,440 Speaker 2: Perry and Carl Ketel. Following eight Fallen Angels Wherever you 446 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 2: get your Podcasts, m