LOS ANGELES—On Monday, August 28, following a decades long career in Los Angeles County, Mark Ridley-Thomas, 68, appeared before U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer who sentenced Ridley-Thomas to 42 months prison time in addition to a $30,000 fine for his conviction of federal corruption.

Judge Fischer stated during sentencing that while Ridley-Thomas has done, “An enormous amount of good, the entire community has been victimized, and he showed no remorse.”

Ridley-Thomas and his wife, Avis, who have been married 44 years and have two adult sons, Sebastian, and Sinclair. During the court proceedings, Ridley-Thomas shared his hopes to appeal, and gave a public apology to his wife and family.

“My actions and the fallout from those actions have hurt my family, beginning with my wife of 44 years who should never have had to go through an ordeal like this… I apologize to my sons, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, as well as other family members whose lives have been disrupted and traumatically impacted,” said Ridley-Thomas.

On March 30, 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Ridley-Thomas, 68, of Los Angeles has been found guilty of bribery and fraud. 

According to the press release, the “long-time politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was found guilty by a jury today of bribery in a scheme in which his son received substantial benefits from the University of Southern California in exchange for Ridley-Thomas’ political support for lucrative county contracts and contract amendments with the university while he served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.”

Ridley-Thomas spent three terms on the Los Angeles City Council from the 8th district from 1991 to 2002, and again for the 10th district from 2020 until his expulsion from the council in 2022. Below is an approximate history of Ridley-Thomas’s years of service to Los Angeles County.

Ridley served the California State Assembly in the 48th District from 2002-2006

Member of the California State Senate, 26th District from December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2008

Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem from December 8, 2015 – December 6, 2016

Los Angeles County Chair from December 6, 2016 – December 5, 2017

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 2nd District from December 1, 2008 – December 6, 2020

President Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles City Council from April 17, 2001 – December 1, 2002

Member of Los Angeles City Council from December 14, 2020 – March 17, 2022

During this Time Ridley was in suspension from October 20, 2021-March 17, 2022.