The mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, and several other public officials, have been indicted on federal bribery charges.
The indictment alleges that from October 2023 to May 2024, the officials accepted more than $80,000 in bribes in an agreement to approve multi-million-dollar development projects in downtown Jackson.
Lumumba suggested the indictment is politically motivated, with his upcoming mayoral election in January 2025.
“As mayor, I have always acted in the best interests of the citizens of Jackson,” he said. “We believe this to be a political prosecution against me, primarily designed to destroy my credibility and reputation within the community.”
The communications department for the mayor’s office said it had no comment and will not be making future comments regarding the case.
None of the other three officials responded to The Epoch Times’ request for comment by publication time.
In August, Lee pleaded guilty to accepting up to $20,000 in bribes as a result of the same investigation and resigned.
Owens accepted at least $115,000 in cash to act as an intermediary between the developers and the other public officials, according to court documents.
The developers who proposed the deals, however, were working with the FBI.
In January, Banks allegedly asked for $50,000 in exchange for his vote on the development, according to the indictment. He later allegedly accepted an initial payment of $10,000 from the FBI agents through Owens with the promise of employment for a family member.
Lee allegedly accepted a $10,000 debt repayment, $3,000 in cash, and a $6,000 shopping trip for her vote on the development, according to the indictment.
Lumumba allegedly accepted $50,000 in the form of five $10,000 campaign-donation checks from “various entities and individuals,” court documents say.
Owens, who allegedly facilitated the payments, used the campaign donation checks “to disguise the true source of the funds” to avoid detection from law enforcement, the indictment reads.
Lumumba faces five felony counts: one count of conspiracy, one count of federal program bribery, one count of interstate facility use for racketeering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
Owens faces eight felony counts: one count of conspiracy, three counts of federal program bribery, one count of interstate facility use for racketeering, one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of making false statements.
Banks faces two felony counts: one count of conspiracy and three counts of federal program bribery.
In his video statement, Lumumba said he’s “never accepted a bribe of any type” and that his legal team will “vigorously defend” him against the charges.
“While I am disappointed, I am not deterred, so I ask for your patience and your prayers during this process,” he said.
