A Washington, D.C. councilmember, Trayon White Sr., faced accusations of accepting over $150,000 in bribes to influence city contracts for violence intervention services, as revealed in court documents unsealed on Monday. White, a Democrat and former mayoral candidate, was arrested on a federal bribery charge and subsequently released after a brief court appearance. Allegations against him suggest that he agreed to receive around $156,000 in kickbacks and cash payments to sway government officials into extending contracts valued over $5 million for two companies.
Reports suggest that conversations between White and an FBI informant, who provided him with cash totaling $35,000 during June and August, were recorded secretly. Photo evidence included in court papers purportedly shows White receiving an envelope with $15,000 in cash from the informant. The informant, connected to businesses contracting with the D.C. government, alleged to have given White gifts and bribes, leading to their cooperation with the FBI in a fraud and bribery case.
During a recorded meeting, the informant supposedly handed White $5,000 in cash, prompting a response from White indicating his willingness to act on the arrangement. Furthermore, it was claimed that White received a $20,000 bribe to intervene in a contract dispute by pressuring high-ranking district officials, according to the affidavit.
White’s attorney declined to comment on the accusations, and his chief of staff and spokesperson did not respond to requests for statements. The councilmember, who represents a largely Black ward in D.C., has held his position since 2017 and is currently running for re-election against a Republican opponent in November.
Notably, White gained attention in 2018 for posting a video on social media perpetuating an antisemitic conspiracy theory linking weather patterns to the Rothschild family. Despite facing backlash for his remarks, White, once a protege of former Mayor Marion Barry, has continued his political career, with this recent bribery scandal marking a significant development in his tenure as a public official.
