Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas is sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for corruption

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A veteran Los Angeles politician has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for a scheme involving his son and the University of Southern California School of Social Work. A judge sentenced former City councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas on Monday for convictions that included conspiracy, bribery and fraud. Ridley-Thomas was a member of the powerful Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors when the crimes occurred. A jury in March found that he schemed in 2017 and 2018 with the dean of USC’s School of Social Work to funnel $100,000 from a Ridley-Thomas campaign fund through the university to a nonprofit run by his son. The now-former dean pleaded guilty to one count of bribery.