D.C. COUNCIL MEMBER TRAYON WHITE ARRESTED BY FBI; BRIBERY ALLEGED

UPDATE: INDICTMENT AND PHOTOS

TRAYON WHITE IS A 3 PERCENTER!

The prosecutor says White negotiated a bribe for 3 percent of a vendor’s contract in return for helping seal the deal.

MARION BARRY WAS HIS MENTOR…
But Trayon White didn’t learn a damn thing as he was wedged into a takedown by demanding bribes from firms bidding on contracts with the DC government…pass the cash and let’s book a vacation to the Caribbean…

 WASHINGTON – Trayon White Sr., the D.C. Councilmember representing Ward 8, was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with bribery. White, 40, is Chair of the Council’s Committee on Recreation, Libraries, and Youth Affairs, which oversees several agencies, including the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS).

           The complaint alleges that, beginning in June 2024, White corruptly agreed to accept $156,000 in cash payments in exchange for using his position as a D.C. Councilmember to pressure government employees at Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and DYRS to extend several D.C. contracts.  The contracts at issue were valued at $5.2 million and were for two companies to provide Violence Intervention services in D.C.  As alleged, the $156,000 White agreed to accept in exchange for using his official position to pressure renewal of those contracts to particular companies was three percent of the total contract value.  According to the complaint, White’s agreement with a confidential human source (the owner of the companies) – including the source’s payments to White of $35,000 in cash on four separate occasions (June 26, July 17, July 25, and August 9, 2024) and the source showing White a document reflecting how White’s three-percent cut was calculated based on those contracts – was captured on video. 

           The arrest and charge was announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, D.C. Inspector General Daniel Lucas, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.

           “Because the investigation into the alleged bribery scheme involved contracts that could soon be awarded and other potential official acts that could be taken, our Office took swift steps to address the alleged crimes we were investigating,” said U.S. Attorney Graves.

           This ongoing investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI Washington Field Office, the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office.

INDICTMENT UNSEALED, SHOWS BRIBES

SEAL THE CHARGES

Court to FBI: Book him, Danno!

 

Witnesses near the Navy Yard residence of DC City Council Member Trayon White Sr. report that the FBI blocked off the street and put White in handcuffs when taking him under arrest. There are no records of warrants or indictments on the Federal Courts for White as of August 18, 2024.
The DC City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s office told DC News Now and said the arrest occurred at about 2 p.m. on Sunday. They issued the following statement:

“Both public trust and integrity in elected officials is critically important. We’re trying to gather the facts at this time.“

 WASHINGTON CITY PAPER REPORTED:
White and his chief of staff did not immediately return messages. Antoniese Ruffin, White’s campaign treasurer, said she did not know anything about the arrest, nor had she been aware that White was under investigation. White is expected to appear in federal court Monday, according to multiple officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a criminal matter that has not yet been made public.

Date filed Total funds total expenditures total loans

Trayon White is in the top tier for the 2024 campaign bucks

Trayon White Has Racked Up Nearly $80,000 in Outstanding Fines and Debts Related to Campaign Funds

WASHINGTON CITY PAPER: Disputes with campaign finance regulators threaten the Ward 8 councilmember’s efforts to earn public money for his ongoing Council reelection bid.
MORE

 

FROM BIOGRAPHY ON DC CITY COUNCIL:
Mr. Trayon White, Sr., a native Washingtonian, was born and raised in Southeast DC.  He was reared by his devoted grandmother, Jean Ann Roberts; Uncle Ronell White; and mother, Sherita White-Kennedy.  They each instilled hard work and determination into him early in his life, and he continues to carry this with him even today.  Growing up, Mr. White was always involved in community activities.  He started his very own business at an early age.  He sold refrigerator magnets, cars, and whatever he could get his hands on to keep him off the streets. These experiences allowed him to gain knowledge and wisdom as an entrepreneur, serving him well later in life.

During his early teen years, Mr. White participated in the highly successful youth television program on BET, “Teen Summit.” His time on the show enhanced his knowledge and passion for tackling social issues head-on. During his time on “Teen Summit,” Trayon created a lifelong friendship with another effective community leader, the late Jay Cooper.

Mr. White is a proud father, community advocate, as well as humanitarian to his fellow Ward 8 neighbors.  He graduated with a 3.7 GPA and honors from Frank W. Ballou Senior High School and continued his education at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.  While enrolled at the University of Maryland, Mr. White dedicated himself to the children of the neighborhood, in which he was raised, by making weekly trips home, to coach little league football at Boys & Girls Club No. 11 & FBR for at risk youth.  He was heavily involved in the nonprofit, “East of the River Clergy, Police and Community Partnership”, which created a platform to do youth violence intervention in the community.  Mr. White built great relationships and the trust of the community.  He also demonstrates his commitment to accessible education to the village of Ward 8 by mentoring them from grade school to college.

In 2008, Mr. White founded and continued to serve until recently as Executive Director of a youth oriented non-profit organization, HICKS, Inc. (Helping Inner City Kids Succeed), which creates activities for youth development in some of Washington’s toughest neighborhoods. In 2010, Mr. White was awarded the President Barack Obama Volunteer Service Award.

The year 2011 was one of great accomplishments, as Mr. White was elected to the State Board of Education for Ward 8 to complete the term of the late William Lockridge.  Mr. White was re-elected in 2012.

Even after his time on the State School Board of Education, Mr. White’s work in the community is well documented with its positive influence on 300 youth annually.  Mr. White is also known for his common sense approach and business acumen that show youth the correct pathway to successful living, personally and professionally.

He really enjoys being a community leader and positive example for all youth in Ward 8 and across this Nation’s Capitol.   In 2015, he ran for the DC Council to represent Ward 8 to fill the seat of the late Marion Barry.  He lost by less than 80 votes. In 2016, Mr. White upset the incumbent by energizing non-traditional voters through his “We the People” campaign.  On January 2, 2017, Mr. White was sworn in as the Ward 8 Councilmember.