Councilman Curren Price Charged With Embezzlement

LOS ANGELES, CA — Longtime Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price was charged with embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest Tuesday. He is the fourth councilman to face corruption charges since 2020. All three of his predecessors were convicted, and two are still awaiting sentencing.

Price was charged with 10 counts involving embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest. It was not immediately clear what led to the charges.

According to prosecutors, Price’s wife allegedly received payments totaling more than $150,000 between 2019 and 2021 from developers before he voted to approve projects. Prosecutors allege Price failed to list the money his wife received on government disclosure forms. Councilmembers are prohibited from having a financial interest associated with any project that was before the City Council.

Additionally, Price is charged with receiving about $33,800 in medical coverage for his wife while he was still married to another woman.

"Today's charges against Councilman Curren Price are the result of a thorough investigation into allegations of public corruption. This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and erodes the public's trust in our elected officials,” District Attorney Gascón said. “We will continue to work tirelessly to root out corruption at all levels and hold accountable those who betray the public's trust."

Price, 72, represents the Ninth District, serving most of South Los Angeles and Exposition Park, since 2013. Prior to his election to the city council, he had a long career in state politics, serving in the state Assembly and state Senate.

The councilman was charged with five counts of grand theft by embezzlement, three counts of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Price could not be reached for immediate comment.

Price came under scrutiny in 2019 when The Times reported that he repeatedly cast votes involving developers and others who were listed as clients of his wife's consulting company, Del Richardson & Associates.

At the time, Price spokeswoman Angelina Valencia told The Times that neither Price nor his wife had benefited financially from votes cited by the paper.

Price "believed that his participation was allowable either because the companies involved were not sources of income at the time or because his votes would not affect Ms. Richardson's business in any way," Valencia told the paper. She also insisted that Price

Price is the latest Los Angeles city officials to fall into legal or political turmoil. Former council members Jose Huizar and Mitch Englander have both pleaded guilty to federal charges in recent years. Huizar is awaiting sentencing later this year and Englander was sentenced to 14 months of prison, and he was released from prison in 2022.

Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was convicted earlier this year of federal charges for trading votes during his time on the county Board of Supervisors in exchange for benefits provided by USC to his son. He is awaiting sentencing.

Former City Council President Nury Martinez resigned last year after being caught on tape in a racially charged conversation with two other council members and a county labor official discussing the council's redistricting process.

City News Service contributed to this report.