Former Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for his role in a six-figure real estate bribery scheme. Lumumba, who served as Jackson's mayor from 2017 to 2025, allegedly accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens. The bribes were distributed to Lumumba and other city officials after Owens accepted them from individuals posing as realtors.
Owens, a Democrat, previously pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges. According to the criminal indictment, Owens funneled over $80,000 in payments to Lumumba, Angelique Lee, the former vice president of the Jackson City Council, and Sherik Marve Smith, a relative of Owens'. The payments were made in exchange for their support of a proposed multi-million-dollar downtown Jackson development project.
The developers, however, were actually undercover agents. Owens solicited and accepted at least $115,000 in cash and promises of future financial benefits from them. Lumumba accepted $50,000 in campaign contributions, knowing they were given in exchange for his blessing on the real estate developments.
Lumumba had previously denied the charges, calling them a political prosecution. He lost his re-election bid in 2025, falling in the city's Democratic primary to John Horhn, who is now Jackson's mayor. Lumumba and Owens could face up to five years in prison, with their sentencing scheduled for October 15.
