The mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, along with a City Council member and the local district attorney, have been indicted on serious federal corruption charges. Court documents unsealed on Thursday revealed a scheme in which F.B.I. agents, posing as real estate developers, funneled tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to city officials.
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, a Democrat who first took office in 2017, and City Council member Aaron Banks face charges of conspiracy and bribery. Additionally, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens is facing similar accusations, including making false statements. All three officials entered not guilty pleas during their initial court appearances on Thursday.
The 32-page indictment outlines that since last year, F.B.I. agents had adopted the role of out-of-state developers keen on constructing a hotel on a long-neglected prime property in downtown Jackson. Collaborating with Owens, who acted as a facilitator, these developers allegedly offered substantial payments to Lumumba and two City Council members in exchange for their backing of the developers’ plans, as stated in the indictment.
Furthermore, the indictment accuses Mayor Lumumba of accepting $50,000 in campaign contributions as a form of bribery. Council member Banks is alleged to have requested $50,000, a security detail, and a job for a family member in return for his support.
In a related development, Angelique Lee, a former City Council member, resigned earlier this year and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.
This unfolding scandal poses a significant setback for Jackson, a city of approximately 150,000 residents, predominantly Black, who have faced challenges in securing basic city services. In 2022, the city’s water system nearly collapsed, leaving homes, businesses, schools, and medical facilities without adequate water pressure for several days. Additionally, last year, garbage collection was severely delayed for two weeks as disputes arose between the mayor and City Council over contract allocations.
