DC Councilmember Trayon White Sr. Arrested for Bribery

Trayon White Sr., a D.C. Councilmember representing Ward 8, was arrested on August 18, 2024, on federal bribery charges involving $156,000 in cash payments. White, who chairs the Council’s Committee on Recreation, Libraries, and Youth Affairs, allegedly agreed to use his position to pressure government employees at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to extend contracts worth $5.2 million for violence intervention services. The FBI's investigation revealed that the payments to White were captured on video, with details of the scheme provided by an informant who had previously pleaded guilty to fraud. The arrest was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and other officials, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the alleged bribery scheme in light of pending contracts. White, who has been on the council since 2017 and is running for re-election, has not yet publicly commented on the charges.