TSN – supported whistleblower Victoria Flores must be protected for her revelations about the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office
On July 7, 2025 The Desert Sun reported on a whistleblower retaliation, wrongful termination, violation of civil rights, and gender discrimination lawsuit filed against Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, Undersheriff Don Sharp, Assistant Sheriff Herman Lopez, and the County of Riverside Corrections Department by a former employee. The plaintiff is Victoria Flores, a “highly respected and principled Sheriff’s Captain with an unblemished record of integrity and professionalism over her decades of service to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office,” as stated in the complaint.
According to the lawsuit, Flores was retaliated against after repeatedly raising concerns with her superiors about wrongful deaths and unconstitutional uses of force against inmates, many of whom suffered from mental illness. She also pushed back against efforts to cover up these incidents and failure to hold responsible personnel accountable for their actions. Flores also said she was retaliated against for raising concerns over inflated costs in the budget she was responsible for overseeing and other instances of corruption within the department.
The Signals Network (TSN) represents Victoria Flores and has provided legal and security support to her and her family as they navigate the unique challenges of blowing the whistle.
TSN provides holistic and individualized support to whistleblowers who disclose public interest information. Due to the patchwork of current whistleblower protection laws, whistleblowers are at significant risk of retaliation, estrangement, or alienation for speaking out for the public good.
Margaux Ewen, TSN’s Whistleblower Protection Program Director, said: “Whistleblowers like Victoria Flores deserve to be fully protected for courageously disclosing information of significant public interest. But her story illustrates the personal price she and her family have paid simply because of her whistleblowing. Thanks to Victoria’s information, Riverside county residents, families of deceased inmates and the public at large can finally learn about what the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has been doing.”
Christopher Damien of The Desert Sun and The New York Times has reported on multiple incidents similar to those described in Victoria Flores’ complaint.
“This case raises important and urgent questions about the way in which Sheriff Bianco is running the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department,” said Paul Hoffman, the attorney representing Victoria Flores in her lawsuit. “We hope that the case will lead public officials and the public generally to end the abuses described in the complaint and restore the integrity of the Department and restore Captain Flores’ good name earned over nearly thirty years of honorable service to her community.”
About TSN
TSN is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting whistleblowers who risk their livelihoods to share public interest information with the press. Founded in 2017 by journalists, whistleblowers and lawyers, TSN operates internationally to hold powerful interests accountable. TSN provides customized support to a selected group of whistleblowers who have contributed to published reports of significant wrongdoing. This support may include legal, psychological, physical safety, temporary safe-housing, online safety, career support and communication support.
For media inquiries, email protect@thesignalsnetwork.org
