Free Republic

LOS ANGELES - A former mayor of suburban Lynwood was convicted Tuesday of federal charges involving the funneling of millions of dollars in city contracts to a sham consulting company he secretly controlled. Paul Richards, 49, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit extortion, fraud, money laundering and depriving the public of honest services. Prosecutors accused Richards of arranging to have more than $2.5 million in city contracts awarded to a consulting company, Allied Government Services, that listed his sister, Paula Cameo Harris, as its president. Last week, Richards denied wrongdoing and told jurors he did not disclose his ties...