Embattled LA Councilmember Curren Price enters plea in nearly $1M scandal tied to wife’s firm

Embattled City Hall power Councilmember Curren Price — who stands accused of funneling nearly $1 million to his wife’s consulting firm and sticking taxpayers with the bill for her health insurance — pleaded not guilty Friday as his sweeping corruption case barrels toward trial.

The longtime councilman faces 12 felony counts, including grand theft by embezzlement, conflict of interest and perjury.

Prosecutors say the charges stem from a yearslong pattern of undisclosed financial dealings.

Prosecutors allege Price repeatedly voted on city business involving his wife Delbra Pettice Richardson’s real-estate consultancy, Del Richardson & Associates, Inc., which provides relocation assistance and community-outreach services for developers and public agencies.

Richardson’s firm allegedly received more than $950,000 between 2019 and 2021 from developers, the LA Housing Authority, and LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority while seeking work with the city.

Prosecutors say those financial ties were never disclosed on required state filings.

They also accuse Price of improperly using about $33,800 in city funds to cover Richardson’s medical benefits while he was still legally married to another woman, a key pillar of the embezzlement case.

If convicted, Price faces up to 11 years and four months behind bars.

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called the case “a significant step toward holding Curren Price accountable for years of alleged corruption.”

He joins a growing list of Los Angeles City councilmembers who have been brought down by corruption cases.

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In 2023, Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison over a bribery scheme tied to benefits for his son.

José Huizar was hit with a 13-year sentence after pleading guilty to racketeering and tax evasion. And Mitchell Englander served time for obstructing a corruption probe tied to cash and gifts.

Price is due back in court June 5 for a pretrial hearing.