City Councilor Pleads Not Guilty in Corruption Case
City Councilor Karen Price, facing serious allegations of misappropriating nearly $1 million to her wife’s consulting business and compelling taxpayers to cover her health insurance costs, has entered a not guilty plea as her corruption case moves toward trial.
Price, a long-serving member of the city council, is contending with 12 felony charges, including embezzlement, conflicts of interest, and grand theft by perjury.
Prosecutors emphasize that these charges arise from a pattern of undisclosed financial dealings.
The accusations indicate that Price participated in votes regarding city projects that involved her wife, Delbra Pettis Richardson, whose firm, Del Richardson & Associates, Inc., offers relocation and community support services. Between 2019 and 2021, Richardson’s business is claimed to have received over $950,000 from developers, the Los Angeles Housing Authority, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority while seeking contracts with the city.
Authorities assert that these financial connections were not revealed in mandatory state disclosures.
Additionally, it is alleged that Price improperly spent around $33,800 of city funds on Richardson’s medical benefits while she was still legally married to another person—a fundamental aspect of the embezzlement claims.
If found guilty, Price could face up to 11 years and four months in prison. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the situation as a crucial move toward holding Price accountable for the many corruption allegations that have arisen.
This incident adds to a troubling list of corruption scandals involving members of the Los Angeles City Council. Scheduled for a pretrial hearing on June 5, Price’s case reveals a deeper concern about integrity in local governance.
