Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering, becoming the second prominent Mississippi Democrat in recent days to admit wrongdoing in a sweeping FBI corruption investigation that has already ensnared former Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens.
Lumumba’s plea came just one week after Owens resigned and pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge stemming from the same undercover corruption probe.
The Washington Free Beacon reports:
Lumumba, a self-described “revolutionary,” was elected mayor in 2017 on the promise of making Jackson “the most radical city on the planet.” Sanders praised Lumumba after his victory, saying the mayor would bring “honest progressive values to the table.” Sanders endorsed Lumumba for reelection in 2021, calling him “a consistent fighter for the working families of Jackson, Mississippi,” and “a strong advocate for justice, progress, and equity.”
Owens, a former attorney for the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center, was elected in 2019 alongside a wave of progressive prosecutors. Soros’s Mississippi Justice and Public Safety PAC donated $500,000 to support Owens, who ran on a platform of providing “alternatives to incarceration.”
Jackson, the largest city in America’s poorest state, earned the ignominious title of “Murder Capital of America” under Lumumba’s watch. The Mississippi capital’s murder rate peaked in 2021 at 99.5 homicides per 100,000 residents, the highest rate in the country and roughly 15 times higher than the national murder rate.
Lumumba battled with Jackson’s police department during his tenure and called for “civil disobedience against police brutality and the abuse of black bodies.”
Following George Floyd’s death in 2020, Lumumba called for sweeping societal change, saying, “We must dismantle oppressive systems and strive for justice.”
Two years later, he sharply criticized Mississippi’s Republican-led state government, accusing its predominantly white leadership of taking a “paternalistic” and “racist” approach toward Jackson.
FBI Sting Targeted City Officials
Federal prosecutors alleged that Lumumba, Owens, and other public officials accepted cash and campaign contributions from undercover FBI agents posing as real estate developers seeking approval for a downtown Jackson development project.
According to prosecutors, Owens accepted more than $115,000 from the undercover agents and facilitated more than $80,000 in bribe payments to Lumumba, former Jackson City Council President Aaron Banks, and former City Council Vice President Angelique Lee in exchange for official assistance with the project.
Lumumba and Banks both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy after previously maintaining their innocence. Their trial had been scheduled to begin within days.
Progressive Political Ties Draw Attention
Lumumba had received support from progressive figures and organizations during his political career, including backing from allies of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Owens, meanwhile, received financial support during his district attorney campaign from organizations backed by billionaire George Soros, a connection highlighted by conservative critics following his guilty plea.
Neither Sanders nor Soros has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the federal investigation.
From ‘Political Prosecution’ To Guilty Plea
When the indictment was announced in 2024, Lumumba vigorously denied the allegations, calling the case a politically motivated effort to derail his political career.
His guilty plea marked a dramatic reversal. By admitting to the conspiracy charge, Lumumba acknowledged participating in the bribery scheme and avoided a public trial.
Owens likewise admitted his role in the conspiracy last week and agreed to resign as district attorney.
Multiple Officials Have Pleaded Guilty
The corruption investigation has ensnared several Democratic officials in Mississippi’s capital city.
Former City Council Vice President Angelique Lee and businessman Sherik Marve Smith had already entered guilty pleas before Lumumba and Owens, while Banks also pleaded guilty alongside the former mayor.
Federal authorities say the FBI operation documented elected officials accepting money in exchange for helping advance what they believed was a lucrative real estate development.
Sentencing Scheduled For October
Lumumba, Owens, and Banks each face up to five years in federal prison under the conspiracy charge, although their cooperation and plea agreements could affect their ultimate sentences.
Sentencing hearings are scheduled for October.
The guilty pleas cap a remarkable collapse for Jackson’s Democratic leadership, with multiple senior officials now admitting their roles in one of Mississippi’s most significant public corruption investigations in recent years.
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