Home / Crime and Justice / Billionaire Fined $2M for Damaging Malibu Beach
Billionaire Fined $2M for Damaging Malibu Beach
16 Sep
Summary
- Billionaire Mark Attanasio to forfeit $2 million beachfront property.
- Attanasio illegally removed sand and boulders from protected Malibu beach.
- The settlement includes restoration of a damaged boulder field.
Billionaire Mark Attanasio faces significant penalties for illegally excavating a protected stretch of Malibu's coastline. Attanasio, who owns the Milwaukee Brewers, has agreed to forfeit a $2 million beachfront property to the public as part of a settlement for his company's actions.
Attanasio's company, 2XMD Partners LLC, used heavy equipment to remove sand and boulders from Lechuza Point in 2024. This action aimed to fortify Attanasio's nearby beachfront property and repair a seawall, but it damaged a delicate marine protected area along Broad Beach.
The California Coastal Commission cited Attanasio for removing sand and cobbles from a sensitive rocky intertidal habitat. Unpermitted structures, including a private beach stairway, were also erected, impeding public access.
The settlement mandates the removal of all unpermitted work and the restoration of the excavated boulder field, a vital habitat for numerous species. The forfeited Big Rock Beach property, valued at $2 million, will enhance public access along a six-mile stretch of coastline with limited entry points.
