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Fact check: Are there any ongoing lawsuits or legal proceedings related to Gavin Newsom's alleged money laundering?

Checked on August 9, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the comprehensive analysis of available sources, there are no ongoing lawsuits or legal proceedings related to Gavin Newsom's alleged money laundering. The search results consistently show no evidence of any money laundering allegations or related legal actions against the California Governor.

Instead, the sources reveal that Newsom is currently involved in different types of legal proceedings:

  • A defamation lawsuit against Fox News for $787 million, alleging defamation and unfair competition law violations [1] [2] [3]
  • Legal challenges against the Trump Administration regarding federal funding and National Guard deployment costs [4] [5]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question assumes the existence of money laundering allegations against Newsom, but the analyses reveal important missing context:

  • No-bid contract controversy: One source discusses an investigation into Newsom's administration awarding no-bid contracts to major donors, including Blue Shield and UnitedHealth, during the COVID-19 response [6]. While this raises questions about potential conflicts of interest, it does not constitute money laundering allegations.
  • Newsom's anti-crime initiatives: The Governor has actually been actively prosecuting organized retail crime, with his administration yielding 14,133 prosecution case referrals and seizing $6.5 million in stolen goods in 2025 [7] [8]. This positions him as someone fighting financial crimes rather than being accused of them.
  • Legal victories against federal government: California's legal challenges under Newsom's leadership have restored at least $168 billion in federal funding [5], demonstrating successful legal advocacy rather than defensive legal positioning.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains significant bias and potential misinformation:

  • Unsubstantiated premise: The question assumes "alleged money laundering" by Newsom exists, but none of the analyzed sources support this premise [1] [2] [3] [7] [8] [6] [4] [5].
  • Misleading framing: By asking about "ongoing lawsuits" related to money laundering, the question implies such legal proceedings exist when the evidence shows they do not.
  • Potential political motivation: The framing suggests an attempt to create or amplify negative narratives about Newsom without factual basis. Political opponents and media organizations would benefit from spreading unsubstantiated allegations against a prominent Democratic governor, especially given Newsom's national political profile.

The question appears to be based on false premises rather than established facts, potentially serving to spread misinformation about a public official.

Want to dive deeper?
What are the specific allegations of money laundering against Gavin Newsom?
How many lawsuits have been filed against Gavin Newsom related to financial impropriety?
What is the current status of the investigations into Gavin Newsom's financial dealings?
Have any of Gavin Newsom's associates or donors been implicated in the alleged money laundering scheme?
What are the potential consequences for Gavin Newsom if he is found guilty of money laundering?