City of LA Takes Legal Action to Prevent LA Zoo Nonprofit from Misusing $50 Million

LOS ANGELES — The city of Los Angeles is seeking a court order to stop the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) from allegedly misusing $50 million in funds that were intended to benefit the Los Angeles Zoo.

The motion, filed on Tuesday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kerry Bensinger, is part of a lawsuit the city filed on December 20 against GLAZA. The city alleges that the nonprofit organization has breached its contract, violated the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and breached fiduciary duties by attempting to use surplus funds for its own interests rather than the zoo's benefit. The city is also asking for an accounting and a court declaration about the rights and responsibilities of both parties.

GLAZA, founded in 1963, manages over $50 million in an endowment and other accounts raised on behalf of the city for the zoo’s benefit. According to the city’s filing, without a court order, GLAZA could use these funds for its own operational costs and other expenses, potentially interfering with the zoo’s operations and the allocation of zoo assets.

A representative from GLAZA has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The city’s legal action follows a series of disputes between the two parties. In May 2024, they entered into an interim agreement set to last through June 30, 2025, to maintain critical programs and services while the city worked on a long-term management proposal for the zoo. However, GLAZA later amended its articles to reserve the right to distribute its assets to other causes, even though it was originally created solely to raise funds for the zoo.

The suit also claims GLAZA wrote a letter to the city stating that it had exclusive control over the zoo’s endowment and disagreed with the city's authority over the funds. In response, the city reminded GLAZA that the nonprofit’s sole purpose was to support the zoo.

GLAZA’s actions allegedly included diverting resources to fundraisers unrelated to the zoo and unilaterally canceling the 2025 Beastly Ball, a key annual fundraising event for the zoo. The nonprofit also refused to provide data on members, donors, and volunteers, despite the city’s ownership of this information.

The city is seeking a ruling to prevent further misuse of the funds, with a hearing scheduled for May 14.