Several allegations of misconduct brought against merchants group director Jodi Rudick

Jodi Rudick, who heads the La Jolla Village Merchants Association, is the subject of a formal complaint to the city claiming multiple violations.

Jodi Rudick, executive director of the La Jolla Village Merchants Association since 2018, is the subject of a formal complaint to the city of San Diego, with former LJVMA president Japhet Perez Estrada, still a board member, alleging harassment of vendors and merchants; violating labor laws with LJVMA interns; possible embezzlement of association funds; and violating copyright and fair-use laws.

Perez Estrada brought forth the allegations during the LJVMA board meeting Feb 12 and emailed the complaint Feb 13 to the city’s Economic Development Department, which oversees Business Improvement District organizations including LJVMA.

Speaking during public comment, Perez Estrada referenced a multipage packet handed to all in attendance containing “evidence in the form of emails, text and data analytic reports supporting” his claims, he said. 

“I feel a very strong responsibility to the community,” he said, adding he also has written letters from former LJVMA presidents and interns corroborating his allegations.

The packet and letters were submitted to the city with the complaint and shared with lajolla.ca. 

Perez Estrada has been “increasingly alarmed at [Rudick’s] unprofessional [and] disgusting behavior,” he wrote. “I spent the majority of my time as president apologizing to vendors she had wronged and to business owners … she bullied.”

Perez Estrada labeled other allegations of misconduct, “shrewd” business tactics that benefit LJVMA and reflect “positively at the end of the year for Jodi, our business relationships with vendors are being frayed.”

Former LJVMA president Brett Murphy’s letter stated Rudick’s “behavior wasn’t in the best interest of the  community and the businesses that fund the association through taxes.”

“I frequently had to repair relationships with community leaders due to her actions contrary to the board’s wishes,” Murphy wrote.

Letters from a former marketing company contracted with LJVMA and two interns all assert a hostile work environment with Rudick and said she was repeatedly demanding and behaved spuriously.

Tara Lewis, spokesperson for the city’s Economic Development Department, said the department did not have a response with respect to lajolla.ca’s questions about next steps in the process or possible ramifications.

Beyond the complaint, Perez Estrada also stated Feb 12 that at a Feb 6 executive board meeting, during which the above allegations were broached, “the most notable thing we discussed is a violation of conflict of interest laws and Brown Act violation by [current LJVMA] president AJ Johnson and Executive Director Rudick.”

Perez Estrada alleged Johnson, director of business development and an investment advisor representative at Mundoval Capital Management, and Rudick have a mutually beneficial financial relationship as Rudick hired Johnson as her personal financial advisor.

Johnson attempted to stop Perez Estrada Feb 12, as Perez Estrada had reached the end of the allotted two minutes for non-agenda comment.

“You’re not going to censor me,” Perez Estrada said. “You shouldn’t even be in this position.”

A loud, contentious argument ensued between Johnson and Perez Estrada, during which Perez Estrada spoke over Johnson while Johnson asked Perez Estrada repeatedly to leave the meeting.

“It is my job to move the board meeting along,” Johnson said, calling for a special meeting to address Perez Estrada’s concerns.

Johnson then asked for and received a vote affirming the scheduling of the special meeting, though the item was not noticed on the agenda.

“I, as board president, take this very seriously,” Johnson said. “We have to view this as a board.”

Johnson did not respond to lajolla.ca’s request for comment. 

However, Rudick told lajolla.ca “meritless or not, public comment is welcome at our meetings. The board will talk about the allegations in an appropriate setting next week.”

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