Jackson Mayor and Officials Indicted on Bribery Charges

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Jackson Mayor and Officials Indicted on Bribery Charges \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Hinds County DA Jody Owens, and City Council Member Aaron Banks face conspiracy and bribery charges after an undercover FBI operation exposed alleged corruption involving payments tied to a proposed hotel project. This sweeping investigation has already led to the resignation of another council member. The accused, all Democrats, maintain their innocence as they await trial.

Jackson Bribery Scandal: Quick Looks

Indicted Officials: Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, DA Jody Owens, and Council Member Aaron Banks.
Undercover Operation: FBI agents posed as real estate developers offering bribes for project approvals.
Charges and Reactions: Indicted officials pleaded not guilty; Lumumba decries charges as politically driven.
Evidence Collected: FBI found cash in a disguised lockbox and recorded incriminating conversations.
Past Convictions: Council Member Angelique Lee resigned and pleaded guilty to related charges in August.
Public Statements: Lumumba insists on innocence, while Owens calls it a flawed investigation with ulterior motives.
Key Developments: Officials allegedly shifted city policies and timelines to benefit the undercover operation.

Deep Look

The capital city of Mississippi, Jackson, is facing a significant political upheaval as Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, and City Council Member Aaron Banks have been indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges, according to newly unsealed federal court documents. The high-profile case, born from an intricate FBI sting operation, has shed light on what authorities allege is deep-seated corruption in the city’s administration.

Alleged Bribery Scheme Unfolds

The charges stem from an operation where two FBI agents posed as real estate developers eager to build a hotel near Jackson’s convention center. These agents made financial contributions that allegedly influenced city decisions, including a reported $50,000 payment to Mayor Lumumba’s reelection campaign. The indictment paints a picture of backroom deals and illicit arrangements, implicating officials in accepting bribes to push the project forward.

Lumumba, Owens, and Banks all pleaded not guilty during their court appearance, asserting their innocence amid a packed courtroom of supporters. Mayor Lumumba, addressing reporters outside, expressed gratitude for support from both local and international communities. He stated, “I am not guilty, and so I will not proceed as a guilty man,” reaffirming his commitment to managing Jackson’s affairs while his legal team tackles the charges. In a video released Wednesday, he characterized the indictment as a politically motivated attempt to derail his 2025 reelection bid, stating firmly, “I have never accepted a bribe of any type.”

Owens and His Defense

Jody Owens, the Hinds County DA, echoed a defiant stance, branding the case a “horrible example of a flawed FBI investigation” and calling it “an assassination attempt on my character.” He argued that select phrases from conversations were taken out of context and did not amount to criminal conduct. “Cherry-picked statements of drunken, locker-room banter is not a crime,” Owens said, pledging to continue his work as district attorney while challenging the indictment’s validity.

Connections and Preceding Convictions

This recent development comes after Jackson City Council Member Angelique Lee, also a Democrat, resigned in August after admitting guilt in related federal bribery charges. Her sentencing is scheduled for November 13. Court records allege that Lee was involved in the same scheme uncovered by the FBI’s undercover operation.

Evidence and Details

Court documents detail a raid conducted in May at Owens’ office and a cigar bar he owned, revealing evidence critical to the indictment. Agents discovered a lockbox disguised as a book labeled “U.S. Constitution,” which contained $20,000 in cash. Notably, approximately $9,900 of that sum was identified by serial numbers linking it directly to payments made by the undercover agents.

The indictment accuses Owens of leveraging his influential position to facilitate over $80,000 in bribes to Lumumba, Banks, and Lee. This sum was intended to guarantee their support for the multimillion-dollar hotel project. Owens is also alleged to have accepted at least $115,000 in cash and promises of future benefits from the undercover operatives, acting as an intermediary to distribute payments and ensure compliance among Jackson’s officials.

Key Incident: Yacht Meeting and Campaign Contributions

A notable aspect of the indictment includes an April meeting where Owens, Lumumba, Smith, and the purported developers traveled on a private jet funded by the FBI to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Once there, during a meeting aboard a yacht, Lumumba was recorded accepting five campaign checks totaling $50,000. The mayor then called a city official to adjust a project submission deadline, ensuring that the timeline favored the undercover developers’ proposal by likely preventing competing submissions.

This change in procedure is alleged to have been a calculated move to eliminate potential rivals and secure the success of the developers’ bid.

Involvement of Sherik Marve Smith

Further complicating the case is the involvement of Sherik Marve Smith, an insurance broker and relative of Owens, who waived indictment and pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges on October 17. Smith admitted to assisting in delivering cash payments and campaign donations to elected Jackson officials, money sourced from the undercover developers working with the FBI. He has agreed to forfeit $20,000, and his sentencing is slated for February 19.

Moving Forward

With all three officials claiming innocence and preparing for trial, the case has highlighted concerns over corruption and integrity within Jackson’s city government. As the scandal unfolds, the ramifications could shape the political landscape in Mississippi’s capital for years to come.