Federal authorities have announced charges against three North Charleston City Council members, alleging they engaged in corruption involving kickbacks and bribes related to grant money and land rezoning. Councilmen Jerome Heyward, Sandino Moses, and Mike A. Brown are among those implicated in the investigation led by the FBI and state authorities over the past year.
Jerome Heyward is accused of accepting a $40,000 kickback from two nonprofit organizations in return for directing a portion of a $1.3 million grant aimed at reducing gun violence in North Charleston, according to court documents. Additionally, Heyward and Brown were involved in a scheme with a boat manufacturer to rezone land along the Ashley River, previously a hospital and before that a fertilizer plant. This was to make room for the construction of a park, with the eventual goal of also establishing a manufacturing facility on the site.
The FBI had been monitoring conversations and captured Brown expressing frustration over delays in receiving bribes, citing a financial obligation towards his son’s upcoming wedding. Ultimately, the rezoning proposal was rejected. Moses, though he returned the money, initially accepted funds related to the rezoning effort and is charged with misleading investigators about his knowledge of the situation.
Charges include extortion, bribery, and wire fraud for Heyward, while Brown faces bribery and wire fraud charges, and Moses is charged with lying to federal investigators. Heyward and Moses plan to plead guilty by Friday, according to acting U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Brook Andrews.
A spokesperson for Heyward declined to comment, and the other councilmen and their legal representatives have not yet responded. North Charleston officials confirmed that both Heyward and Moses have resigned their posts on the City Council.
“These allegations signify a significant breach of trust,” Andrews remarked at a press briefing. “These individuals prioritized their interests over their constituents’ well-being.” North Charleston, home to roughly 125,000 residents, stands as South Carolina’s third-largest city. Mayor Reggie Burgess publicly recognized the FBI and state authorities for their dedication to ensuring transparency and trust in the city government.
“Upholding transparency and accountability remains fundamental to this administration, and this thorough investigation was essential to maintaining those tenets,” Burgess stated.
