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Irvine Former Vice Mayor Charged with Felonies

City officials engaging in public discussions about governance in Irvine.

News Summary

Tammy Kim, the former Vice Mayor of Irvine, faces 10 felony charges for allegedly falsifying residency information while serving on the City Council and running for mayor. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced these serious accusations, which include felony perjury and voter registration fraud. If convicted, Kim could face over 11 years in prison. Following a legal challenge, she abandoned her candidacy for the 5th District seat. Her arraignment is scheduled for Friday, where she intends to plead not guilty.

Irvine, California – Former Vice Mayor Tammy Kim has been charged with 10 felonies for allegedly providing false information about her residency during her time on the City Council and while campaigning for mayor. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced the charges on Thursday afternoon.

Kim faces serious accusations, including three counts of felony perjury by declaration and three counts of filing false documents. She is also charged with aiding the illegal casting of votes, submitting false nomination papers, being aware of a registration for someone not entitled to vote, voter registration fraud, and one misdemeanor for making a false statement. If convicted on all counts, she could face a prison sentence of up to 11 years and 2 months.

Kim is scheduled for an arraignment on Friday morning, where her attorney has stated they plan to enter a plea of not guilty. They are preparing a vigorous defense against the charges.

During her campaign for the November 2024 mayoral election and the early 2025 City Council special election, Kim allegedly used two fraudulent addresses. Prior to these events, she had resided in a condo located in the city’s 3rd District since 2015. However, to run for mayor, she changed her driver’s license and voter registration to an address in the 5th District, which she had never actually lived in.

The address she used in the 5th District belonged to a family she had met through a Korean teaching class, and she did not inform them that their address was being used for her voter registration and candidacy. Prosecutors allege that Kim certified the false address under penalty of perjury and participated in the mayoral race while voting from this fraudulent address.

Kim had previously won her election to the Irvine City Council in November 2020, garnering nearly 44,000 votes in a highly competitive race involving 14 candidates. At that time, the city operated under an at-large voting system, which allowed candidates to reside anywhere in Irvine. The voting system switched to districts in the fall of 2024, necessitating that council members live within the district they are elected to represent.

In the November 2024 mayoral election, Kim lost to Councilmember Larry Agran by nearly 5,000 votes. Following her defeat, she expressed her intent to run for the vacant 5th District seat left open by Agran. After declaring her candidacy, Kim found a room in another home within the 5th District in January 2025 and updated her driver’s registration.

Shortly after changing her address, Kim filed new nomination papers using the new information. This influx of allegations led former mayoral candidate Ron Scolesdang to file a lawsuit against her, claiming she improperly utilized an incorrect address for her candidacy. As a result of these legal challenges, Kim abandoned her candidacy on February 7, coinciding with a judicial ruling that led to her removal from the ballot. Betty Franco Martinez ultimately secured victory in the special election for the 5th District seat.

If convicted of felony perjury, Kim would face severe consequences, including a life-long ban from holding public office. The legal proceedings will continue as the case unfolds.