Washington, D.C., Councilmember Trayon White Sr. was arrested on August 18 on federal bribery charges, accused of accepting $156,000 in cash to influence government contract decisions.
The charges allege that White, who has represented Ward 8 since 2017, received payments to facilitate the extension of contracts valued at $5.6 million.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, White allegedly accepted the bribes from a confidential source, who provided him with a three percent cut of the contract value on four separate occasions.
These interactions were reportedly captured on video, strengthening the evidence against White.
U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves stated:
“Given the imminent nature of the contracts and other potential official actions, our Office took prompt action to address these alleged crimes.”
White’s court appearance on August 19 was marked by his silence; he did not enter a plea and appeared in casual attire. If convicted, White faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
To be released on bail, White must surrender his passport and firearms, if applicable, and notify pretrial services of any travel plans outside the D.C. area.
He will also need the court’s permission for international travel and is prohibited from contacting witnesses in the case.
White recently secured his position for the Democratic primary in June and is set to face a status hearing on September 19.
The ongoing investigation into White’s alleged bribery involves multiple agencies, including 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.
