Thread by @latimes

L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was indicted Wednesday on federal charges that he took bribes from a USC dean in exchange for directing millions of dollars in public funding to the university when he was on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

latimes.com/california/sto…

Ridley-Thomas is accused of conspiring with the then dean of USC’s School of Social Work to steer county money to the university in return for admitting his son Sebastian into the graduate school with a full-tuition scholarship and a paid professorship. latimes.com/local/lanow/la…

Ridley-Thomas, one of the most powerful figures in Los Angeles politics, is the third L.A. City Council member to face federal corruption charges over the last two years. latimes.com/california/sto…

Wednesday’s announcement was a shocking development for a politician who has been an influential voice in city policy for three decades and an architect of regional policy on the homeless crisis.

latimes.com/california/sto…

The alleged kickback scheme is the latest in a string of scandals that has marred USC’s reputation in recent years.

USC's former medical school dean was exposed as a user of methamphetamine, heroin and other drugs. latimes.com/local/californ…

A longtime USC campus gynecologist was accused of sexual misconduct by hundreds of alumnae, leading to a $1.1-billion settlement, the largest sex abuse payout in the history of higher education. latimes.com/california/sto…

USC was also at the center of the college admissions bribery scandal in which wealthy parents paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to have their children falsely admitted as athletes.

latimes.com/california/sto…

3 years ago The Times revealed that USC had provided a scholarship to Sebastian Ridley-Thomas & appointed him as a professor around the time that his father had funneled campaign money through USC that ended up in a nonprofit group run by his son. latimes.com/california/sto…