Mississippi mayor, prosecutor and councilman indicted on bribery charges

JACKSON, Miss. – The the mayor of the capital of MississippiThe top attorney for the state’s largest county and a Jackson city councilman were indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges in a case that already led to the resignation of another city councilman, according to federal court records unsealed Thursday.

The charges against Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and Jackson City Councilman Aaron B. Banks was nominated after two FBI agents impersonated developers who wanted to build a hotel near a downtown convention center. Jackson and provided payments to officials, including $50,000 to the mayor’s re-election campaign, according to court documents.

Lumumba, Jody Owens and Banks were due to appear before a magistrate on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Lumumba released a video message saying he had been charged, calling it “political persecution” that would hurt his 2025 re-election campaign.

“My legal team has informed me that federal prosecutors have effectively charged me with bribery and related charges,” said Lumumba, who is a lawyer. “Frankly speaking, I have never taken any type of bribe. As mayor, I have always acted in the best interests of the city of Jackson.”

The Associated Press left a telephone message for Owens’ attorney, Thomas Thomas, Gerry Bufkin, on Thursday. Federal court documents did not immediately identify an attorney for Banks.

Lumumba and Banks were elected in mid-2017. Owens was elected in 2019 and took office in 2020. All three are Democrats.

Member of the Jackson City Council Angelique Leethe Democrat, first elected in 2020, resigned in August and pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges stemming from the same FBI investigation. The sentencing is scheduled for November 13.

In May FBI agents searched Owens’ office and the cigar bar he owns in downtown Jackson. Among the items found in the district attorney’s office was a book-like box marked “United States Constitution” that contained about $20,000 in cash, with serial numbers on about $9,900 confirming that their alleged originators had paid Owens. the indictment has just been unsealed.

According to the indictment, Owens bragged to developers about his influence with Jackson officials and “facilitated the payment of more than $80,000 in bribes” to Lumumba, Banks and Lee in exchange for their agreement to secure approval for a multimillion-dollar downtown development. The document also says Owens “solicited and accepted at least $115,000 in cash and promises of future financial benefits” from the alleged developers in order to leverage his relationships with Lumumba, Banks and Lee and act as a conduit for payments to them.

Lumumba ordered a city clerk to extend the deadline to support the developers’ proposed project, and Banks and Lee agreed to vote for it, according to the indictment unsealed Thursday.

Sherick Marve Smith, who is an insurance broker and a relative of Owens, waived charges and pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges in the Oct. 17 case, according to court documents. He agreed to pay $20,000 and is scheduled for sentencing on February 19.

According to court documents, Smith conspired to provide cash payments and campaign contributions to two Jackson elected officials, with the money coming from alleged developers who worked for the FBI.

Owens, Lumumba, Smith and the alleged developers traveled in April on a private plane paid for by the FBI to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to the newly unsealed indictment. During the meeting on the yacht, which was recorded on audio and video, Lumumba received five campaign checks for $10,000 each, and he called a Jackson city clerk and ordered the person to postpone the deadline for proposals for a property development near the convention center . , – the indictment states. The deadline was moved to benefit the alleged developers who worked for the FBI, likely eliminating any competition they could have, the indictment said.

The mayor said his legal team would “vigorously defend me against these allegations.”

“We believe that this is a political persecution against me, designed to destroy my credibility and reputation in society,” Lumumba said.