The 20-count indictment filed in Los Angeles federal court alleges that Ridley-Thomas conspired with Marilyn Louise Flynn, an ex-dean of USC’s School of Social Work, who agreed to provide Ridley-Thomas’ son with graduate school admission, a full-tuition scholarship, a paid professorship and a mechanism to funnel $100,000 in Ridley-Thomas campaign funds through the university to a nonprofit to be operated by a family member.
In exchange, the indictment alleges, Ridley-Thomas supported contracts involving the School of Social Work, including contracts to provide services to the county Department of Children and Family Services and Probation Department, as well as an amendment to a contract with the Department of Mental Health that would bring the school millions of dollars in new revenue.
Ridley-Thomas, 66, of Los Angeles, and Flynn, 83, of Los Angeles, were informed of the indictment Wednesday afternoon and have agreed to appear for their arraignments in Los Angeles federal court in the coming weeks, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Both Ridley-Thomas and Flynn are charged with conspiracy and bribery. The indictment also charges both defendants with two counts of “honest services” mail fraud and 15 counts of “honest services” wire fraud.
“This indictment charges a seasoned lawmaker who allegedly abused the public’s trust by taking official actions to benefit himself and his family member,” Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said in a statement. “The corrupt activities alleged in the indictment were facilitated by a major university’s high-ranking administrator whose desire for funding apparently trumped notions of integrity and fair play. Public corruption cases are among the most important matters we pursue, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute whenever public officials and others entrusted with taxpayer funds break the law.”
The indictment outlines an alleged scheme in 2017 and 2018 in which then-Supervisor Ridley-Thomas sought benefits from Flynn and university officials to benefit his relative, who was the subject of an internal sexual harassment investigation in the state Assembly, likely to resign from elected office and significantly in debt.
The indictment did not name the relative, however, Ridley-Thomas’ son, Sebastian, resigned from the Assembly in 2017 amid investigations into sexual harassment complaints. He insisted at the time that his resignation was due to health reasons, not a sexual harassment probe. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas later became a professor of social work and public policy at USC, although he was later terminated over questions about his original appointment.
Prosecutors claim Mark Ridley-Thomas wanted to secure paid employment for his relative to minimize any public fallout for them both in the wake of the sudden resignation from office. Meanwhile, the Social Work School was facing a multimillion-dollar budget deficit, which threatened the school’s viability as well as Flynn’s position and reputation as the school’s longtime dean, according to the indictment.
As part of the bribery scheme, Ridley-Thomas and Flynn allegedly took steps “to disguise, conceal, and cover up the bribes, kickbacks and other benefits” Ridley-Thomas and his relative received — which included concealing the official acts Ridley-Thomas agreed to perform in exchange for the financial benefits, according to the document.
The pair also concealed, according to the indictment, the true purpose of the money funneled to the relative’s nonprofit through the university, which also violated multiple university policies regarding the funding of nonprofits, prosecutors said. Within weeks of Ridley-Thomas contacting Flynn in May 2017 about his relative wanting a postgraduate degree from the university, Flynn began a campaign to secure both university admission and a full scholarship for the relative, prosecutors allege.
Flynn wrote in an email that she intended to open every door for the family member, the indictment alleges. When a university official said Ridley-Thomas had “lots of discretionary money” and should give the university “$1M each year for three years,” according to the indictment, Flynn responded that she and another university official intended to offer the relative a full scholarship in exchange for funds for the school.
In June 2017, Ridley-Thomas and Flynn allegedly reached an agreement, which Flynn later memorialized in a confidential letter she had hand-delivered to Ridley-Thomas, prosecutors said. The indictment alleges that Flynn’s letter detailed her expectations that Ridley-Thomas would steer new contracts with DCFS and Probation to the Social Work School and secure a lucrative amendment to an existing Telehealth-DMH contract.
With the new amendment, Flynn expected the Telehealth contract to generate about $9 million per year for the School of Social Work, prosecutors contend.
The indictment alleges that Ridley-Thomas took a series of official actions, including voting in August 2017 to approve a motion to establish a partnership between the county and Social Work School, and voting in October 2017 to approve a motion, related to “Probation University,” that would create a county payment source for the school.
Flynn told university officials in emails that she was “very happy to see that (Ridley-Thomas) was as good as his word” and that he was “really trying to deliver,” the indictment alleges. The conspiracy count alleged in the indictment carries a penalty of up to five years in federal prison. Each bribery count carries a maximum possible sentence of 10 years. Each of the mail fraud and wire fraud charges carry a penalty of up to 20 years.
Ridley-Thomas previously serving on the Los Angeles City Council from 1991-2002, then serving in the state Assembly and state Senate before he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2008. He served on the LA County Board of Supervisors until 2020 when he returned to the Los Angeles City Council.
He has a doctorate in social ethics from USC and spent 10 years as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, beginning in 1981.
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Lorie says
I was watching a news segment on this story on KCAL-9 last night. They referred to Ridley-Thomas as a “Southern California power broker”.
Interesting, I never saw him as having much “power” over the entire southern part of the state, but okay?
Nevertheless, what “power” he did have was squandered away by trying to constantly clean up after his dip$hit son.
This article doesn’t mention how Daddy also pulled strings to get him a job at LA Unified School District at the same time as he was given the USC professorship and the free ride scholarship to the university as a student.
One wonders how you can be both a student and a “professor” at the same time? But I guess in Clown World USC, anything’s possible?
Eye on Lancaster says
Wait until they investigate Wrecks and Lancaster. If it’s done by an outside group, look out. If it’s done here in the AV, fuggedaboutit.
Claire says
Marilyn Flynn passed away.
Tim Scott says
That’s one way to avoid prosecution.
Q H Oldtimer says
Quite sudden since several articles including this one say she was informed yesterday of the charges.
Tim Scott says
The only thing I am finding on this passing away is an obituary blog post of…dubious credibility. Claire, where did you get this.
Claire says
Q H Oldtimer…You’re right. I was reading her bio and there was a Marilyn Louise Flynn obit on same page. My mistake.
LCR says
An arrogant, self-serving man and his son. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18. Thomas and Flynn conspired to hatch a plan.
LCR says
Both political parties are corrupt, from the top on down. The writing is on the wall.
Tim Scott says
The way you are trying to equate “steals public funds” with “attempts to overthrow the constitutional process in order to seize power against the will of the electorate” is pretty weird. What does this “writing on the wall” tell you? Or the voices in your head, for that matter.
Mark A. says
Another day, another USC scandal…
Lorie says
He has a doctorate in social ethics from USC and spent 10 years as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, beginning in 1981.
That’s rich!
Tim Scott says
Anything related to social ethics or public service at USC should have been erased from their curriculum after Watergate, and never allowed to resprout.
Indicted says
The perfect CV for grifting.
Tim Rosado says
“Social ethics” and USC don’t belong in the same sentence! That school is more of a joke now than it’s ever been. If you’ve got a degree from there, it might come in handy to line a bird cage or as a toilet seat cover.