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Uncovering Truth Amid Allegations of Systemic Corruption: The Los Angeles County Investigation

In a high-profile indictment that made headlines in late 2021, the DOJ revealed a bribery scheme involving the former dean of the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work and Mark Ridley-Thomas, a prominent politician and former Los Angeles County (“LA County”) Supervisor. Ridley-Thomas was indicted on federal corruption charges that alleged a bribery scheme in which his relative received substantial benefits from the university in exchange for the politician’s support in awarding contracts and favorable contract amendments to the university while he served on the LA County Board of Supervisors (“the Board”).

Following the indictment, the Board issued a mandate requiring LA County counsel to retain outside counsel and a forensic accounting firm to investigate its service contracts. Covington & Burling was brought on board, who then enlisted FTI Consulting’s forensic accounting and data and analytics expertise.

Our Impact:

FTI Consulting’s thorough investigation revealed critical weaknesses in procurement processes, documentation and document-retention practices, internal controls, training, budgeting and contracting personnel. While the team did not find evidence of systemic corruption, these findings provided a roadmap for LA County to enhance transparency and operational efficiency related to contracting and procurement.
Our forensic accounting experts and data experts successfully navigated numerous logistical challenges, including decentralized operations and outdated systems, to analyze high-value service contracts and deliver actionable insights and solutions, despite the County’s size and the substantial volume of high-value service contracts.
The investigation culminated in a well-publicized presentation at the public meeting before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, bringing attention to FTI Consulting’s key findings and driving accountability at various levels within the County. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors expressed deep appreciation for the team’s work and findings and made commitments to develop next steps for evaluation and implementation of the proposed recommendations.
The Board expressed deep appreciation for the team’s work and findings and made commitments to develop next steps for evaluation and implementation of the proposed recommendations.

Our Role:

FTI Consulting delivered critical insights and actionable recommendations through a meticulous, multi-step approach, partnering with LA County personnel to gain an in-depth understanding of procurement processes, key stakeholders, documentation, and systems.
Our multidisciplinary team developed a customized review methodology and conducted targeted risk assessments to identify contracts and vendors warranting deeper analysis, supported by detailed information requests and follow-up interviews.
Our forensic experts conducted a comprehensive review of in-scope contracts as defined by the mandate, identifying key areas of focus, issuing detailed information requests and conducting follow-up interviews to validate essential data.
Our data & analytics experts compiled information across numerous county data sources and leveraged this data to highlight key aspects of each contract and vendor and identify potentially related parties.
FTI Consulting utilized advanced e-discovery tools, electronic document review techniques, and public records research capabilities to efficiently analyze critical data and uncover relevant insights.