Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba pleaded not guilty to five federal charges Thursday afternoon in federal court in connection to the Jackson bribery scandal that involves Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks, who were also indicted Thursday.
On Thursday morning, an unsealed indictment revealed Lumumba is accused of accepting a $50,000 bribe through Owens “in the form of five $10,000 campaign donation checks.”
Lumumba faced one count of conspiracy, one count of federal program bribery, one count of use of an interstate facility in aid of racketeering, one count of wire fraud and one count money laundering.
“Lumumba accepted the checks knowing and understanding that the money was from the developers, and that it was being offered in exchange for official action from Lumumba in favor of the developers’ proposed development project,” the indictment said.
The indictment also states Owens, Lumumba and Banks are accused of conspiring with former Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee and businessman Sherik Marve’ Smith “to carry out a bribery scheme to enrich themselves.”
At 1:19 p.m., Lumumba entered the courtroom at the Thad Cochran U.S. Courthouse in the Southern District of Mississippi with his lawyer and an entourage of people in support of him. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac presided over the hearing.
Thomas J. Bellinder appeared as Lumumba’s attorney. Sitting next to Lumumba in the courtroom was Owens with his attorney, Rob McDuff, and Banks with his attorney, Carlos Tanner.
Lumumba maintained a calm composure during the Thursday initial court appearance, keeping his eyes focused on the judge and responding to any questions asked of him.
Who is Chokwe Antar Lumumba? A look at his life and career as he faces a federal indictment
Around 3:30 p.m., nearly an hour after court adjourned, Lumumba exited through the front door of the federal courthouse. He would not answer any questions from reporters, but he did make a statement.
“I am not guilty, and so I will not proceed as a guilty man. I will continue to handle the business of the city of Jackson while my attorneys continue to handle the business of these court proceedings. I have full faith in their representation of me. There will be others joining the legal team later on, and we will move forward,” Lumumba said.
Lumumba could potentially face up to 70 years of imprisonment. Court records laid out the maximum potential penalties for all of Lumumba’s charges:
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Conspiracy: Maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and $100 special assessment.
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Federal Program Bribery: Maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and $100 special assessment.
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Use of an Interstate Facility in Aid of Racketeering (Travel Act): Maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and $100 special assessment.
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Honest Services Wire Fraud: Maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and $100 special assessment.
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Money Laundering: Maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction (whichever is greater), three years of supervised release and $100 special assessment.
A trial has been set at 9 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2025.
People speak in support of Lumumba
Outside on the steps of the courthouse, people spoke out in support of Lumumba, including Danyelle Holmes. A friend of the mayor, she said the indictments are a “direct attack on Black leadership.”
Holmes added that Lumumba’s indictment is an attempt to “discredit the character and leadership” of the mayor, noting the indictment comes at a convenient time of the upcoming mayoral race.
Holmes referred to separate cases that she believes are not getting the same investigational treatment such as the “$1.7 million in campaign donations that were received by Gov. Tate Reeves that came with large contracts” and “the TANF scandal.”
“When (the FBI) couldn’t find Mayor Lumumba committing a crime, you go out and create a crime. This is all a big illusion in order to prosecute him and getting him on something — and that something is what we are seeing today,” Holmes said to reporters.
Rukia Lumumba, sister of the mayor, emphatically defended her brother and confirmed her brother’s plan to seek another term.
“We are determined and undeterred. He is going to run for mayor; he will continue to work of mayor, and he will be re-elected. We will continue that campaign. He has done great things for Jackson, and so he will continue to do that work. We ask for your continued support and your prayers. We understand that this is just an attack, it is an attack, and it is an attempt to assassinate his character to prevent his re-election. But we will continue to do the good work that he has always done, and all of us that support him will be by his side,” Rukia said to reporters.
Background on bribery scandal
The morning of May 22 saw Owens office at the Hinds County Courthouse and his cigar business in Downtown Jackson raided by FBI agents. By just after noon, he put out a statement acknowledging the FBI’s visits, saying his office is “fully cooperating with their efforts.”
The charges come just over two months after Lee resigned from her position on the Jackson City Council and, the same day, pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges. Lee accepted nearly $20,000 in “cash, deposits and other gifts,” according to the indictment, from two out-of-town real estate agents, who were actually undercover FBI agents.
Following Lee’s guilty plea, three members of the Jackson City Council, Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote, Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley and Ward 7 Councilwoman and Council President Virgi Lindsay, also said they met with out-of-town developers. Ward 4 Councilman Brian Grizzell said he met one developer in passing; Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes said he might have received a call. All have denied taking bribes and none could verify if they were the agents that bribed Lee.
What all of the individual meetings described by the council members have in common is that they were arranged by Owens. Owens is also “engaged in real estate,” which his lawyer said is legal. Owens and his lawyer, Rob McDuff, declined to answer any questions about the council members’ meetings with developers and Owens, only releasing a statement in August.
Lee accepted the bribes in exchange for her support of a “fictitious” downtown development project the undercover agents were pitching to her. She also agreed to vote in favor of a road closure in furtherance of the same project, court documents show. Her sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 13 but was continued in October. A new sentencing date has not yet been set.
Lee’s conspiracy to commit bribery charge comes with a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to court testimony. She could also receive three years of supervised release.
Since Lee was indicted, the city held a special election to fill the vacant Ward 2 seat on Oct. 1. Tina Clay won the Oct. 22 runoff.
Two months after Lee was indicted, Smith was identified as another conspirator. Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery as well.
What is Lumumba’s alleged role in Jackson bribery scandal?
According to the indictment, Banks, Lumumba and Lee allegedly received $80,000 in bribes in exchange for “taking official action” to help “developers” secure a multi-million-dollar project across the street from the Jackson Convention Complex. It’s a project the city has been trying to build since the mid-2000s.Those developers turned out to be FBI agents.
On Feb. 12, 2024, Owens arranged a dinner with the agents, Lumumba and Smith. After introductions, Owens told Lumumba “I’ve done background checks. They’re not FBI by the way.” He also told the mayor the agents focus “shifted” to the hotel project across from the convention center.
On Feb. 28, 2024, the agents met with Owens and Smith. At one point in the meeting, an agent asked Owens and Smith, “why do we need Lumumba?” Smith responded Lumumba “could make things a lot harder.” Later on, Owens went on to inform the agents that Lumumba agreed to take a trip to Florida with the agents.
The indictment states the agents would give Lumumba, who was “interested in taking the trip to Florida,” $50,000 at a “fundraiser.” Allegedly Owens, Lumumba, Smith and the agents traveled to Ft. Lauderdale via private jet paid for by the FBI on behalf of the “developers.”
Between March and April of 2024, Lumumba allegedly accepted a $50,000 bribe from the agents through Owens “in the form of five $10,000 campaign donation checks” from various entities and individuals including Owens and Smith.
“To avoid scrutiny,” Owens allegedly assured Lumumba that the $50,000 was just the beginning, and that “Lumumba’s ‘final number’ was $100,000.”
Get latest details on officials’ roles: In massive corruption scandal at Jackson City Hall involving the Mayor, DA, Ward 6 city councilman
The indictment alleges Lumumba knew the checks were being offered in exchange for official action in relation to the proposed project.
During an April 2, 2024, meeting inside a private room on a yacht, Owens and Lumumba met with the agents. At one point in the meeting, one of the agents asked Lumumba to move the city’s SOQ deadline from April 30 to April 10 or 15. Lumumba then called a city employee and directed them to move the deadline to April 15. The indictment shows a picture of Lumumba, sitting next to Owens, making the phone call.
Another agent then handed five $10,000 checks to Lumumba in an envelope. Another picture inserted into court records shows Lumumba holding an envelope while talking with Owens.
According to the indictment, Owens stated, “These checks are Mississippi checks but they’re from this group.”
Lumumba said, “Okay.”
Lumumba eventually confirmed that the city employee had moved the deadline. Sometime later in the day, Owens received another $50,000 in cash that he removed from a bag and put in his pockets. A third picture inserted into the indictment shows Owens with cash in his hand appearing to take more money out of a black bag.
Owens, Lumumba and the agents then went to a local club that night, where Owens directed the agents to make cash available for Lumumba. Lumumba also directed the agents to pay cash to employees of the club for his benefit.
When Lumumba arrived back in Jackson on April 4, the five $10,000 checks were deposited into his campaign bank account. Prior to that, Lumumba’s account balance was approximately $465.30.
Mayor called indictment ‘political prosecution’
Court docket information was made available less than a day after Lumumba announced in a video statement that he had been indicted as part of the Jackson bribery scandal, calling it “political prosecution.”
“To be clear, I have never accepted a bribe of any type,” Lumumba said. “As mayor, I have always acted in the best interest of the citizens of Jackson. We believe this to be a political prosecution against me, primarily designed to destroy my credibility and reputation within the community. There is no coincidence, and its timing being just before the upcoming mayoral race. My legal team will vigorously defend me against these charges.”
Court records further show the details of Owens and Banks’ involvement in the scandal.
According to the indictment, Owens facilitated over $80,000 in bribe payments to Lumumba and Lee in exchange for their agreement to take official action on the city’s long-sought after hotel development project across the street from the Jackson Convention Complex. It’s a project the city has been trying to build since the mid-2000s. The city released a statement of qualifications, or SOQ, on Jan. 31.
Owens accepted at least $115,000 in cash and “promises of future financial benefits” from two developers from Nashville who turned out to be undercover FBI agents. The agents used Owens relationship with Lumumba and Lee “to act as an intermediary” for the bribes.
“Owens, Banks, Lumumba, Lee and Smith were not aware that, in reality, the Developers were working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the indictment states.
Read this detailed timeline on how: Over the course of months, the Jackson’s bribery scandal has unfolded
Owens is facing eight felony counts: one count of conspiracy, three counts of federal program bribery, one count of use of an interstate facility in aid of racketeering, one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering and one count of making a false statement.
Banks is facing two felony counts: one count of conspiracy and three counts of federal program bribery.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson MS bribery scandal: Mayor Lumumba indicted on federal charges
