In a stunning turn of events, Trayon White, a member of the D.C. City Council, has been charged with bribery by federal prosecutors. The charges stem from allegations that White accepted over $150,000 in exchange for steering millions of dollars in potential government contracts. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced the charge against White, who represents Ward 8 in Southeast D.C., on Monday.

According to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, White allegedly used his position as the head of the D.C. Council's Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs to pressure city employees into extending government contracts worth $5.6 million. These contracts were intended for companies working with high-risk youth and providing violence intervention services.

The investigation revealed that the companies' owner secretly recorded conversations with White between June and August. These recordings allegedly captured discussions about the government deals. The company owner subsequently cooperated with prosecutors and entered into a plea agreement. It was discovered that the owner had paid White a total of $35,000 in cash over the course of four meetings, as evidenced by still images from the recorded videos showing White accepting envelopes of cash.

One of the crucial moments in the alleged scheme occurred on July 17, when the company owner proposed a 3% cut in the company's contracts with the D.C. government. Prosecutors claim that White appeared to agree to the deal, and the conversation was recorded. On the same day, after discussing potential partnerships related to the city's mental health care services, White allegedly received an envelope containing $5,000, stating that he could "start making some s*** happen."

Further evidence presented in the affidavit included text messages that demonstrated White's attempts to secure contract renewals in exchange for thousands of dollars. He explicitly mentioned government employees responsible for renewing the contracts and requested $10,000 to be brought to a meeting on July 25. White was seemingly aware that certain individuals needed to be "massaged" to ensure the contracts' renewal.

Federal prosecutors decided to bring charges swiftly to expose the alleged wrongdoing before the contracts were finalized. U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves stated, "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."

In addition to the recent charges, the affidavit revealed that White had previously accepted a $20,000 bribe in 2020 in relation to a multi-million dollar contract dispute. It was alleged that White used his influence to push city officials to resolve the matter in favor of the company. The informant also disclosed that they had provided various gifts to White, including sponsoring his travels to Las Vegas and the Dominican Republic.

Trayon White, a 40-year-old Washington native, has served on the D.C. Council since 2017. He gained attention in 2018 for endorsing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, specifically relating to the Rothschild family's control over the climate and World Bank. White subsequently apologized to the Jewish community for his comments.

White made his initial court appearance on Monday and was released from custody. He and his attorney chose not to comment upon leaving the courthouse. The next court hearing is scheduled for September 19, where White will face the bribery charge brought against him.

As this legal battle unfolds, the residents of Ward 8 await further developments regarding their representative on the D.C. City Council.