“I have never conspired with anyone to commit a crime”

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba responded Monday to claims he may be one of three remaining unidentified co-conspirators involved in a bribery scheme that has brought down a city councilwoman .

“Regardless of any allegations or speculation about it, I have never conspired with anyone to commit a crime,” he said. “There may be a time and a place where I will expose this at an appropriate time, but at this point, this is all I have to represent.”

Lumumba spoke to reporters at a media conference Monday, where he answered questions about the recently released information about Sherik Marve’ Smith.

The Hinds County businessman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery last week in U.S. District Court in connection with a plan to seek support from city officials for a project convention center hotel.

Smith was the second domino to fall in the investigation. In August, former Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge after taking nearly $20,000 in cash and gifts from FBI sources by posing as developers

According to the information letter, there are at least three other unindicted and unnamed co-conspirators, including two elected city officials, one of whom received a $10,000 contribution to his re-election campaign to order an employee of the city that moves the date the developers could change. application to the town council qualification application.

The mayor is the only elected city official who can direct city employees, according to the statute. The board may direct the secretary of the board and the clerk’s employees.

When asked if he was associated with Smith, Lumumba said he had met him “a couple of times”.

“I don’t know what you mean by associate, but again, I would direct anybody to those who are organizing this particular investigation,” he said, referring to the reporter’s question.

When pressed, Lumumba would not say whether he received a $10,000 campaign donation, repeating his earlier comments. He also did not say whether he is being investigated by the FBI.

“No matter how many questions or the variation of the question, my answer will be the same, which is simply, I have never conspired with anyone to commit a crime,” he said.

Meanwhile, the mayor says he hasn’t filed an updated campaign finance report since 2022. Court records show the bribes were paid between October 2023 and May 2024.

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