TLDR
- DC Councilmember Trayon White was arrested and charged with federal bribery on August 19, 2024.
- White is accused of accepting $156,000 in kickbacks and cash payments in exchange for pushing forward $5.2 million in contracts.
- The alleged bribery scheme involved contracts for violence intervention services in DC.
- White allegedly agreed to a 3% kickback on the contracts and was recorded discussing the scheme with an informant.
- If convicted, White could face up to 15 years in prison.
On August 19, 2024, DC Councilmember Trayon White was charged with federal bribery following his arrest by the FBI on Sunday.
According to a federal affidavit, White is accused of accepting $156,000 in “kickbacks and cash payments” in exchange for using his position to influence city government contracts.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that White agreed to accept these payments in return for pressuring government employees at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services to extend several contracts.
The contracts, valued at $5.2 million, were designated for two companies to provide violence intervention services in the district.
Prosecutors claim that White agreed to a 3% kickback on the contracts’ total value. The arrangement was allegedly caught on video and detailed in recorded conversations between White and a DC government contractor who had previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges and was cooperating with law enforcement.
In these recordings, White reportedly discussed his influence over violence prevention initiatives in the Council and bragged about his ability to pressure government employees. He was quoted as saying, “I’m a huge voice when it comes to violent prevention and the Council” and “I got great weight when it comes to violence” initiatives.
The criminal complaint alleges that White accepted multiple cash payments dating back to 2020. The councilmember is also accused of lying on his annual financial disclosures, which require reporting of any bribes, gifts, or improper government funds received.
White, who has represented Ward 8 since 2017, appeared in federal court on August 19. He was released pending further proceedings, with conditions including surrendering his passport and any firearms. The next hearing is scheduled for September 19 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
If convicted, White could face up to 15 years in prison. The charge has sent shockwaves through DC politics, with Mayor Muriel Bowser describing the situation as “troubling” and “disappointing” in a press conference.
This is not the first time White has faced financial scrutiny. In February, the DC Office of Campaign Finance recommended that he pay $58,906.29 to the city treasury following his failed 2022 mayoral run, citing improper accounting of campaign spending.
The scandal marks the second major controversy for the DC Council since 2019 when then-chair Jack Evans was removed for ethical issues. Evans had been the author of DC’s original legal sports betting bill.
White was absent for the 2019 vote that legalized single-source digital sports betting in DC, but in June 2024, he voted to pass a budget that opened the market. Throughout the 2024 process, stakeholders were unsure how White would vote due to his frequent absences from meetings.
As of August 19, the DC Council had not taken any action regarding White’s position. His office released a statement acknowledging the seriousness of the matter and assuring Ward 8 residents that it remains “fully operational and steadfast in our commitment to serving the public.”
The investigation into the alleged bribery scheme involved the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI Washington Field Office, the DC Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office.
White, who chairs the DC Council’s committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs, won the Democratic primary for a third term in June 2024. The bribery charge now casts a shadow over his political future and raises questions about the integrity of contract awards in DC government.
