Suspended LA Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas begins federal corruption trial Tuesday for USC case

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The trial for suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas is set to begin Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

Ridley-Thomas has been suspended since October 2021 after he was indicted on federal corruption charges including conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud.

According to prosecutors, back in 2018, Ridley-Thomas had an arrangement with the former dean of USC's social work school in which he allegedly had her wire $100,000 from his campaign fund through the school to his son's non-profit.

Ridley-Thomas also conspired to get his son, who resigned from the State Assembly due to a sexual harassment probe, a full tuition scholarship and graduate school admission, prosecutors allege.

In exchange, the former dean Marilyn Flynn received help getting a lucrative contract between the school and the county.

USC was not aware of the exchange.

Flynn pleaded guilty last fall.

Ridley-Thomas has plead not guilty, setting up Tuesday's trial.