Jackson Mayor and Officials Indicted in FBI Bribery Sting

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and two other officials face federal charges in a corruption case involving a proposed downtown development.

Mayor Lumumba, District Attorney Jody Owens, and City Council member Aaron Banks have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy and bribery.
The case revolves around a sting operation where FBI agents posed as developers offering bribes for support on a downtown hotel project.
Prosecutors allege that Mayor Lumumba received campaign contributions in exchange for shortening a bid deadline to favor the undercover agents' proposal.
The investigation has heightened existing tensions in Jackson, where issues with water infrastructure and policing have already eroded public trust.
Previous city council member Angelique Lee and Owens' cousin Sherik Smith have pleaded guilty to related charges in the same investigation.