Former USC dean sentenced to three years probation, $150,000 fine
Marilyn Flynn was sentenced for participating in a conspiracy with former City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas; federal Judge Dale Susan Fischer said she decided not to send her to prison when considering Flynn’s early acceptance of responsibility
To three years probation and payment of a $150,000 fine was sentenced Monday to former USC School of Social Work dean Marilyn Flynn, 84, for admitting she bribed Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas when she was on the county Board of Supervisors.
U.S. District Judge Dale Susan Fischer approved prosecutors’ recommendation that Flynn be monitored during the 18-month probation period with an electronic monitoring system.
The magistrate denied a defense request for two years probation without house arrest and a $100,000 fine.
“A lifetime of dedication and service is something the courts don’t often see. It is unfortunate that such an illustrious career should come to an end (in this manner),” Judge Fischer said, referring to Flynn’s five-time election as dean of USC’s School of Social Work.
The judge said she decided not to send her to prison by considering mitigating factors, such as Flynn’s “early and exaggerated acceptance of responsibility” with the voluntary disclosure of incriminating information previously unknown to the government.
At Monday’s court hearing, Flynn told the judge that she was deeply embarrassed and deeply regretted the “anguish” she caused the USC community and its School of Social Work.
In September 2022, Flynn pleaded guilty to one count of bribery and admitted to allowing USC to serve as a conduit for a $100,000 payment from Ridley-Thomas’ campaign account to the School of Social Work.
Almost simultaneously, the former dean arranged a $100,000 payment from USC to United Ways of California on behalf of the Policy, Research and Practice Initiative (PRPI), a new nonprofit initiative run by Ridley-Thomas’ son, who resigned from his elected position in the California State Assembly.
Flynn’s plea agreement stated that the former dean and Ridley-Thomas concealed that the former councilman directed the payment to USC with the intent that the money would be used to support the payment to United Ways and PRPI.
As soon as Flynn informed Ridley-Thomas that USC’s payment to United Ways and PRPI had been “authorized,” the former councilman scheduled a May 10, 2018, meeting between the former dean and a high-level Los Angeles County official to move forward with approving Flynn’s desired expansion of an online mental health services contract that would have improved his school’s distressed finances.
Flynn’s attorneys said the former dean was not motivated by greed, but by a “desire to help her school, graduate students in the social work program and those who needed greater access to mental health services. She recognizes and takes responsibility for losing her moral compass along the way.”
Ridley-Thomas, 68, could spend years in prison after being sentenced at trial on March 30, 2023 on single counts of conspiracy, bribery, honest services mail fraud and four counts of honest services wire fraud.
Mark Ridley-Thomas was found guilty of charges of conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud. Photo: David Buchan/Getty Images
The sentencing hearing against Mark Ridley-Thomas is scheduled for August 21.
Ridley-Thomas was accused of diverting county contracts in favor of the USC School of Social Work so that a $100,000 contribution could be awarded to the organization run by his son.
The former councilman’s attorneys are appealing the conviction.