WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The FBI arrested D.C. Councilmember Trayon White Sr. on Sunday after he was accused of taking cash payments in exchange for his influence.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, authorities arrested White on a criminal complaint charging him with bribery. White represents Ward 8 of the District and has served on the Council since 2017. He is the 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).
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Officials said the complaint began in June of this year when he allegedly agreed to accept $156,000 in cash payments in exchange for using his position as a Councilmember to pressure government employees at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and DYRS to extend several D.C. contracts.
As part of this exchange, White used his position to pressure the renewal of contracts for two companies, which was 3% of the total contract value. According to the Attorney’s Office, the contracts were valued at $5.2 million and were for two companies to provide violent intervention services in the District.
The complaint states that White’s agreement with a confidential business owner included a payment of $35,000 in cash. Officials said these payments were made over four separate occasions on; June 26, July 17, July 25 and Aug. 9.
A video also captured the business owner showing White the document that a 3% cut was calculated based on the contracts.
Court documents obtained by DCNewsNow.com revealed that the business owner gave White gifts, including a trip to the Dominican Republic and Las Vegas.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded to a question about White’s arrest and the allegations at an unrelated news conference on Monday.
“It’s very troubling,” Bowser stated. “I’m sure constituents across the city, but especially in Ward 8 are very disappointed. People need representation. They need people that go down to the Wilson Building and put them first, fight for them, and I know that I speak for them in my disappointment about it.”
Bowser noted, “Anytime any part of the government is questioned in this way, it distracts from the very important work that has to be done.”
Witnesses told DC News Now that they saw FBI agents take White into custody as he stood beside his car next to the entrance of his apartment building in Navy Yard.
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“Yeah, it definitely looked like it’s something pretty serious. They had the block shut off for a good time,” said Matthew Mulquin, who witnessed the arrest. “But, yeah, it seemed like they had a good handle. We only saw really the second part of it, so. But yeah, it’s pretty crazy stuff.”
The arrest seemingly caught several neighbors by surprise.
“You know, just an average Sunday…it was pretty wild to see everybody in the lobby here,” said Briann Auray, who lives in the building next door. “It’s usually pretty quiet. So it was kind of a shock.”
“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.
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