Former County Employee Charles Edward Flood IV Charged with Funneling Contracts to Wife’s Company

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Charles Edward Flood IV, a former Ventura County Health Care Agency Compliance Officer, was charged with two felony counts of conflict of interest after allegedly funneling County contracts to his wife's company.

Flood was arrested by Illinois State Troopers Friday afternoon and will be extradited to Ventura County to face his felony charges noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Friday.

Beginning in 2022, Flood worked for the County of Ventura as a Compliance Officer, responsible for overseeing compliance and conducting audits of revenue integrity, privacy requirements, HIPAA compliance, and physician contracts explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

While hiring a third-party firm to conduct audits on behalf of Ventura County is a common part of the job, Flood is accused of steering contracts to AM Berry Consulting LLC., a company owned and operated by his wife noted the local prosecutor's office.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Flood allegedly never disclosed his relationship before the contracts were signed and during the life of the contract, is accused of assigning multiple compliance projects, approving invoices, and authorizing payments to AM Berry Consulting.

Between June 2023 and October 2024, Ventura County allegedly paid AM Berry Consulting LLC. $222,910 stated the prosecutor's office.

On October 30, 2024, the Ventura County Employee Fraud Hotline received an anonymous complaint alleging the misconduct shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

The County of Ventura ended its contract with AM Berry Consulting LLC. on Feb. 3, 2025, and Flood's employment with the County was terminated on Feb. 9, 2025, added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.