Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment this week against several Mississippi Democrats over an alleged bribery scheme to enrich themselves.
The indictment, unsealed on Thursday in the Southern District of Mississippi, charged Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens II, 43; Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, 41; and former President and current member of the Jackson City Council Aaron Banks, 47, of allegedly participating in the bribery scheme.
Prosecutors said in a statement:
As alleged in the indictment, between approximately October 2023 and May 2024, Owens facilitated bribe payments to public officials in Jackson on behalf of two FBI undercover employees posing as real estate developers (the Developers) in exchange for at least $115,000 and the promise of future financial benefit. Owens instructed the Developers that, for their project to succeed, they needed to secure the support of certain public officials in Jackson through bribery. Those public officials included Mayor…
