Federal prosecutors are recommending a six-year prison sentence for former City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was convicted of bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges for steering county contracts toward the USC School of Social Work in exchange for the secret funneling of a $100,000 contribution to an organization run by his son, according to court papers filed on August 7.
Jurors in Mark Ridley-Thomas’ federal corruption trial reconvened for a fourth session of deliberations on Wednesday, March 29, as they decide whether the suspended L.A. City Councilman is guilty of steering lucrative county contracts to USC’s school of social work in exchange for a slate of benefits for his son.
A former dean of the USC School of Social Work has agreed to plead guilty to a federal bribery charge in a political corruption case involving suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas.
At face value, the previous weeks headlines seemed disturbing: University of Southern California had referred a donation, made to the School of Social Work by LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, to federal officials for investigation.