A Superior Court Judge has ruled that Nicaraguan attorneys recruited fraudulent plaintiffs, allegedly coaxing them to fabricate their work histories.

A NY private equity firm apparently did not disclose that it paid fees to an indicted political adviser who helped arrange an investment from a local pensions board.

Jay Leno will be off again tonight, but NBC says that the late-night host will return on Monday. Network honchos have a lot riding on this one guy.

Freeway construction without funding, greenhouse gas regulations approved, JetBlue to stay in Long Beach, and "Soloist" gets mixed reviews.

The SF-based banking giant is accused of misleading investors by selling them $1.5 billion worth of auction-rate securities that it claimed were as safe as cash.

Still unclear is what happens to Chrysler's lenders, who hold $6.9 billion in company debt. The government's proposed deal would give them 22 cents on the dollar.

B of A's Ken Lewis was told to keep quiet, MySpace founders step down, California bond sale revives infrastructure projects, and LAX traffic nosedives.

No offense, but is there any other time of the year when people pay attention to this magazine? UCLA ties for #15, USC is all alone at #18, and Pepperdine ties for #55.

Publisher Neil Stiles cites the writers strike, the credit crunch, and fewer "For Your Consideration" ads because "Slumdog Millionaire" was such a prohibitive favorite.

Nothing has been announced, but the Web is filling up with heavy speculation that the two founders of the social networking site could be out the door - soon.

New Census data shows fewer Americans moving in 2008 than in any year since 1962. Also, immigration from overseas was the lowest in more than a decade.

A total of 27,981 mortgages default notices were filed in Los Angeles County during the first quarter, according to Dataquick, up from 20,339 a year earlier.

California cities heavy with foreclosures, Fresh & Easy keeps losing money, Hilton alleged to have taken Starwood documents, and Hollywood comes to Washington.

High yields - at least by today's standards - explain why big investors are ready to pounce on the state's $4 billion offering.

KCRW has posted "Planet Money: The Economy, Explained," the live performance by Alex Blumberg of "This American Life" and Adam Davidson of NPR.

The Dodgers owner plans to complete the city entitlement process for a proposed $500-million makeover of Dodger Stadium that could begin at the end of the season.

As expected, California locations got hit hard - 76 stores will be closed in the state as part of the chain's latest cost-cutting effort.

Stocks still weak, Broadcom bids for Emulex, carmakers bypassing 2nd Street Tunnel, and NYT Co. reports loss.

After two price reductions, Harry Warner's 14-room Georgian Colonial-style house in Hancock Park is back on the market - priced at $3.675 million.

So where was the award for coverage of the financial collapse? Given the depths of last year's crisis, it's interesting that no one made the grade.

An industry isn't entirely made up of bad people. It's just that working on Wall Street these days is akin to being an American Muslim right after 9/11.

B of A beats forecasts, commercial real estate hits the skids, L.A. venture funding slips, and will SAG members ratify contract?

Yeah, but it was pretty close - only 53 percent voted in favor of the two-year deal, which shows how precarious a toe hold the moderate faction has on the guild's board.