Legal Hurdles Mount as Court Refuses to Toss Charges Against Curren Price

By: Inglewood Today & Eye On Inglewood Founder & Writer Halimah Ginyard

INGLEWOOD - Legal challenges intensified following a judicial ruling rejecting the latest attempt by Curren Price to have corruption charges dismissed, clearing the way for the case to move forward toward trial.

Price, 75, faces 12 felony counts tied to allegations of misusing public funds, failing to disclose financial conflicts of interest involving his wife’s business, and casting official votes on matters directly connected to those financial interests.

At the center of a major portion of the case is Del Richardson & Associates (DRA) which formally rebranded as Seneca Real Estate Services, Inc. in 2024 a consulting firm solely owned by Curren Price’s wife, Delbra Pettice Richardson.

Del Richardson & Associates (DRA), operating as Seneca Real Estate Services, Inc., was contracted by the City of Inglewood to execute property acquisition, right of way management, and business relocation phases for municipal initiatives, most notably the 1.6-mile Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC).

On June 21, 2022, the Inglewood City Council approved a three-year contract valued at $700,000 with DRA to guide land clearance, right of way, and relocation strategies.

Seneca’s primary responsibility involves managing local businesses lining the commercial path, providing targeted advisory support, site search help, and handling financial reestablishment payouts.

Beyond the ITC project, public records show that Del Richardson has participated in broader municipal pre-approved vendor pools and Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) pools for real property and relocation services in the city.

What does an IDIQ pool mean? Instead of holding a brand-new, lengthy competitive bidding process every single time a city needs to appraise a building, acquire land, or relocate a displaced business, the city sets up an IDIQ “pool.” They pre qualify and select a group of trusted real estate and relocation consulting firms including Del Richardson’s firm ahead of time. Once a firm is in the IDIQ pool, the city can hand out individual assignments called “task orders” on an as-needed basis.

While Price has historical roots in Inglewood governance, the current criminal corruption case against him focuses heavily on his tenure in Los Angeles. Prosecutors allege a wider pattern of conflicts and financial misuse, noting that various housing authorities and transit entities paid Richardson's firm hundreds of thousands of dollars while Price voted on related contracts.

The sweeping indictment also accuses Price of embezzling nearly $33,800 in city funds between 2013 and 2017 by securing city-funded medical benefits for Richardson during a period when prosecutors state he was still legally married to his previous wife, Lynn Suzette Price.

With judicial rulings clearing the legal hurdles for the prosecution, the case inches closer to trial, keeping public scrutiny high on municipal ethics, transparency, and accountability.

Stay tuned to Eye on Inglewood for ongoing updates as this high-profile legal proceeding develops.