{"id":52644,"date":"2023-03-30T13:33:57","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T20:33:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=52644"},"modified":"2023-03-30T13:35:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T20:35:05","slug":"l-a-politician-guilty-of-fraud-involving-benefits-for-son-who-received-lucrative-contracts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=52644","title":{"rendered":"L.A. Politician Guilty of Fraud Involving Benefits for Son Who Received Lucrative Contracts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<strong>\u00a0LOS ANGELES\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1057 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Justice-Depart-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Justice-Depart-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Justice-Depart-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Justice-Depart.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Long-time politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was found guilty by a jury Thursday of bribery in a scheme, according to authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">The scheme involved a scheme in which his son received substantial benefits from the University of Southern California, including a graduate school admission, officials stated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">In exchange, Ridley-Thomas\u2019 political support for lucrative county contracts and contract amendments with the university while he served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, officials stated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ridley-Thomas, 68, of Los Angeles, was found guilty of seven felonies: one count of conspiracy, one count of bribery, one count of honest services mail fraud, and four counts of honest services wire fraud.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WjWgLxExyTU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ridley-Thomas\u2019 political career spans several decades, including in the California State Legislature and, most recently, in the Los Angeles City Council. He was suspended in October 2021 from the Los Angeles City Council after being indicted in this case.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen elected leaders engage in acts of corruption, our community suffers immense damage. Ridley-Thomas engaged in a corrupt conspiracy with a university dean to steer taxpayer-funded contracts to the school in exchange for benefits for his son,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. \u201cToday\u2019s verdict sends a clear message to public officials that my office will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who abuse their power and thereby breach the public trust.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPublic officials are elected to be a voice and a vote for the people they&#8217;re paid to represent, not for their own personal gain,\u201d said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI&#8217;s Los Angeles Field Office. \u201cAllegations of public malfeasance must and will be addressed by the FBI before further corrupt actions erode confidence in our public institutions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-52647 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/th-29.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"213\" \/> According to evidence presented at a 16-day trial, from May 2017 to August 2018, Ridley-Thomas engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Marilyn Louise Flynn, 84, of Los Feliz, formerly a tenured professor and the dean of USC\u2019s School of Social Work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In December 2017, citing health issues, Ridley-Thomas\u2019 son abruptly resigned from the California State Assembly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">At the time of his resignation, Ridley-Thomas\u2019 son was the subject of a sexual harassment investigation in the Assembly, a fact unknown by USC or the public.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\"> Emails and testimony at trial, prosecutors argued, showed that the reason for the resignation was pretextual. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Behind the scenes, Ridley-Thomas was orchestrating a public relations campaign to convince the public his son was ill. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">A legal team was set up to stall the Assembly\u2019s investigation indefinitely. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Prosecutors argued that the evidence at trial demonstrated that part of Ridley-Thomas\u2019 public relations plan included finding his son prestigious degrees, titles, and paying jobs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-51222 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1yeql23dvji-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"brown wooden chairs inside room\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1yeql23dvji-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1yeql23dvji-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1yeql23dvji-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1yeql23dvji.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>During the conspiracy\u2019s course, Flynn ultimately provided Ridley-Thomas and his son benefits, including graduate school admission to pursue a dual master\u2019s degree, a full-tuition scholarship, a paid professorship, and a mechanism for Ridley-Thomas to funnel $100,000 of his campaign funds through the university to a non-profit to be operated by the son \u2013 Policy, Research &amp; Practice Initiative (PRPI).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In exchange, Ridley-Thomas supported contracts involving the Social Work School, including contracts to provide services to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Probation Department, as well as an amendment to a contract with the Department of Mental Health (DMH) that could help bring the school potentially millions of dollars in new revenue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 By funneling the payment through USC, Ridley-Thomas and Flynn attempted to disguise the true source of a $100,000 payment to make it appear as though USC, not Ridley-Thomas, was the generous benefactor supporting Ridley-Thomas\u2019 son and PRPI. Had it known this fact, USC would not have approved the $100,000 payment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For his part, Ridley-Thomas delivered on his end of the corrupt bargain. He voted on three county proposals that Flynn had sought to shore up her school\u2019s shoddy financial situation \u2013 it faced a multimillion-dollar budget deficit \u2013 including a vote approving an amended Telehealth agreement with more lucrative terms for the Social Work School. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">He also sought to influence key county decision-makers associated with these approvals and ensured Flynn knew of his efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer scheduled an August 14<b>\u00a0<\/b>sentencing hearing. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">At that time, Ridley-Thomas will face up to five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the bribery count, and up to 20 years in federal prison for each honest services fraud count.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Ridley-Thomas was found not guilty of one count of honest services mail fraud and 11 counts of honest services wire fraud.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Flynn\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-cdca\/pr\/former-dean-usc-s-social-work-school-agrees-plead-guilty-bribery-funneling-100000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">pleaded guilty<\/a>\u00a0in September 2022 to one count of bribery. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 26. Flynn faces up to 10 years in federal prison. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Prosecutors have agreed to recommend she satisfy her custodial term by way of home confinement and have agreed to seek a fine against her of no more than $150,000.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The FBI investigated this matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Michael J. Morse, also of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, are prosecuting this case.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv8036084348MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0LOS ANGELES\u00a0 Long-time politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was found guilty by a jury Thursday of bribery in a scheme, according to authorities. The scheme involved a scheme in which his son received substantial&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3255],"tags":[3646],"class_list":["post-52644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-federal-court","tag-mark-ridley-thomas"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>L.A. Politician Guilty of Fraud Involving Benefits for Son Who Received Lucrative Contracts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0LOS ANGELES\u00a0 Long-time politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was found guilty by a jury Thursday of bribery in a scheme, according to authorities. 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Politician Guilty of Fraud Involving Benefits for Son Who Received Lucrative Contracts","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=52644#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=52644#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/th-28.jpg","datePublished":"2023-03-30T20:33:57+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-30T20:35:05+00:00","description":"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0LOS ANGELES\u00a0 Long-time politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was found guilty by a jury Thursday of bribery in a scheme, according to authorities. 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