Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy in Bribery Case

Chokwe Antar Lumumba, the former mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2026, to one count of conspiracy related to a real estate bribery scheme. Lumumba, who served as mayor from 2017 to 2025, accepted tens of thousands of dollars from Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, who distributed funds after receiving them from FBI agents posing as realtors. Owens, who also pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy, funneled over $80,000 to Lumumba and other city officials, including Angelique Lee, the former vice president of the Jackson City Council. The funds were allegedly in exchange for official actions to approve a proposed multi-million-dollar downtown development project. Lumumba accepted $50,000 in campaign contributions knowing they were tied to the developers' project. Both Lumumba and Owens face potential sentences of up to five years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 15, 2026.