Washington, D.C., Councilman Trayon White Sr. has been charged with bribery, according to court documents released on August 19.
Federal authorities arrested White on Sunday.
According to an FBI affidavit, White allegedly agreed to accept $156,000 in cash in exchange for using his position on the Washington, D.C., City Council to pressure government officials into extending $5 million worth of contracts.
According to the affidavit, White received $35,000 in cash on four separate occasions, including most recently on August 9, from the owner of the companies awarded the contracts.
City code prohibits public officials from accepting gifts from individuals or entities that have, or are seeking to obtain, contracts or other business with the Washington, D.C., government.
According to charging documents, White and the owner met on June 26 to discuss a scheme where the owner would pay White to find out if contracts for the owner’s companies with the District of Columbia Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement would be extended. At the meeting, White accepted $15,000 and said he would speak with a specific government employee about the contracts’ status.
About three weeks later, White and the owner met again, during which White provided updates on the contracts and received $5,000, according to the FBI agent.
At another meeting in July, the owner reportedly gave White $10,000. They discussed White’s ongoing efforts to extend contracts held by the companies with both the neighborhood office and the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, which White oversees as chairman of the District Council’s Committee on Recreation, Libraries, and Youth Affairs. White was also working to help secure new contracts for the companies.
“I feel good energy about what we embarking on, what we trying to do. I want to bring you up to speed before we go in here about stuff I’ve been working on, trying to get you where you need to be,” White was quoted as saying.
In their final meeting in August, White received $5,000, according to the affidavit. The affidavit included photos of White holding white envelopes allegedly filled with money. White claimed that local officials had informed him that the contracts were likely to be extended.
As part of a plea agreement, the owner of the companies admitted guilt to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bribery. He provided information to federal officials about how he fraudulently obtained federal loans and bribed White.
“Because the investigation into the alleged bribery scheme involved contracts that could soon be awarded and other potential official acts that could be taken, our Office took swift steps to address the alleged crimes we were investigating,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves said in a statement.
A query to a spokesperson for White returned an away message. White has not appeared to comment on his arrest and the charge. He did not have an attorney listed on the court docket.
White, a Democrat, joined the District Council in January 2017 and was re-elected for another term in 2020.
According to The Epoch Times, the law that White is accused of violating bars officials from demanding, seeking, receiving, accepting, or agreeing to receive or accept anything of value in return for “being influenced in the performance of any official act; being influenced to commit or aid in committing, or to collude in, or allow, any fraud, or make opportunity for the commission of any fraud, on the United States; or being induced to do or omit to do any act in violation of the official duty of such official or person.”
White faces up to 15 years in prison and could be fined up to three times the amount he agreed to accept.
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