The 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, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Marilyn Louise Flynn, 83, is expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks to the bribery charge and pay a fine of at least $100,000, in exchange for prosecutors recommending that she serve an anticipated 10-year prison term through home confinement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ridley-Thomas is scheduled to go on trial in the case Nov. 15.
According to prosecutors, Flynn will admit that she bribed Ridley-Thomas — at the time a member of the county Board of Supervisors — by funneling $100,000 from his campaign account through the university to a nonprofit operated by his son, Sebastian Ridley-Thomas. In exchange, prosecutors said Ridley-Thomas voted in favor of a lucrative county contract for the USC School of Social Work.
Ridley-Thomas, who has denied any wrongdoing, is charged with one count each of conspiracy and bribery, two counts of honest services mail fraud and 15 counts of honest services wire fraud.