Los Angeles public corruption cases
An FBI agent testified Los Angeles has more corruption than Chicago. A federal prosecutor said corruption is a “way of life” in Los Angeles. I love covering white-collar crime, so I am here for it.
Feds want corrupt LA politician Jose Huizar to do 13 years for RICO pay-to-play conspiracy
Prosecutors want a former Los Angeles politician to serve 13 years in federal prison for turning his downtown City Council district into a racketeering enterprise that included lavish Las Vegas gambling parties and trysts with prostitutes arranged by a billionaire developer who’s now a fugitive.
'Quarterback' attorney of massive LA public corruption scandal gets 33 months in prison
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered a disbarred lawyer to serve 33 months in prison for a “mind-boggling” bribery scandal involving a collusive lawsuit, sham …
A rapper, a developer and a politician each requested bail pending appeal. Only one got it.
A California appellate court on Friday rejected rapper Tory Lanez’s request for bail as he appeals his convictions for shooting Megan Thee Stallion. The order follows two other bail-related developments in cases I’ve covered that, taken together, highlight how prosecutors and judges…
State bar probe into Los Angeles lawyers delays final sentencing in scandal over sham lawsuit
A massive California State Bar investigation into powerful attorneys in Los Angeles prompted a judge on Tuesday to delay the final sentencing in a bribery scandal involving a collusive lawsuit, secret deals, sham lawyering and fake adversaries hatched within the City Attorney’s Office.
Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for USC bribery
A federal judge on Monday sentenced Los Angeles political stalwart Mark Ridley-Thomas to 3 1/2 years in prison for a public corruption bribery scheme with the Univ…
Ex-USC dean who bribed Mark Ridley-Thomas avoids prison with 18 months home confinement
A retired University of Southern California dean who admitted to bribing Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was ordered Monday to pay a $150,000 fine and stay…
Cash-flush developer gets 6 years in prison for 'unique and infectious crime' of public corruption
A federal judge on Friday sentenced a commercial real estate developer to six years in prison for bribing ex-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar in a corruption conspira…
Developer who bribed ex-L.A. Councilman José Huizar asks for leniency as feds seek 7 years
Federal prosecutors say a developer convicted of bribing former Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar should spend seven years in prison, and they’re differentiating him from Huizar by referencing the disgraced politician’s “public and fulsome admission of corrupt conduct.”
Citing lawyer's illness, judge declares mistrial in ex-Los Angeles deputy mayor's corruption trial
A legendary lawyer’s health problems have derailed the final trial in a broad federal prosecution over Los Angeles City Hall corruption. U.S. District Judge John F. Walter declared a mistrial Thursday morning in Raymond Chan’s racketeering case, nearly six weeks after trial was…
March 6: Lawyer's illness halts L.A. City Hall bribery trial
Former L.A. Planning Commission president testifies about strange meeting with Ray Chan
In one respect, David Ambroz’s 2017 meeting with a Los Angeles deputy mayor at the Mama Shelter bar in Hollywood was typical: The self-described picky eater and vegetarian said he often finds himself looking at food he can’t eat. But in every other respe…
Testimony implicates ex-L.A. Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan in developer's $600K sex harassment settlement bribe to Jose Huizar
Ex-Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar’s longtime aide testified this week that now-retired Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan suggested a billionaire real estate developer pay Huizar’s 2014 sexual harassment settlement, then h…
'This is scary, boss': Jurors hear ex-Los Angeles Councilman Huizar's covert bathroom meeting
A longtime assistant to ex-Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar testified Friday of his former boss’ persistent efforts to collect $200,000 in cash bribes the you…
Mark Ridley-Thomas’ trial:
Judge’s order: June 30: Judge rejects new trial for Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas in USC bribery scheme
Prosecutors’ opposition: May 23: Prosecutors say 'fulsome' evidence supports Mark Ridley-Thomas' USC bribery convictions
Motion for new trial: May 2: Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas seeks new trial in USC bribery conspiracy
Jury interview: April 6: Inside the jury deliberations that ended in seven felony convictions for Mark Ridley-Thomas
Verdict: March 30: Jury convicts Mark Ridley-Thomas of bribery, conspiracy in federal corruption trial
Deliberations: March 30: Jury asks about final 15 counts of Mark Ridley-Thomas' 19-count USC bribery indictment
Deliberations: March 29: 'Does unlawful mean illegal?' Jurors in city councilman's USC bribery trial mull instructions
Rebuttal: March 26: Jury hears prosecutor's final account of Mark Ridley-Thomas' evolving USC bribery scheme
Closing arguments: March 23: Defense says USC’s 'VIP' treatment made scholarship for Mark Ridley-Thomas' son 'business as usual'
Defense witnesses: March 22: Defense rests in suspended L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas' federal corruption trial
FBI Special Agent Brian Adkins: March 20: More from the FBI agent's testimony in L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas' criminal trial
MRT and Ralph Frammolino emails, USC whistleblower Michele Clark, USC employee Adriana Gonzalez: March 18: Prosecutors rest their public corruption case against L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas
Voir dire, evidentiary hearing: (I missed the first three trial days) March 8: primer on suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas' bribery trial
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