WASHINGTON — A prominent District of Columbia councilmember facing allegations of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories has been arrested on federal bribery charges for allegedly accepting over $150,000 in bribes in exchange for using his position to assist companies with city contracts, according to unsealed court records from Monday.
Trayon White Sr., a Democrat and former mayoral candidate in the 2022 elections, was apprehended by the FBI on Sunday. He is scheduled for his initial court appearance on Monday.
Requests for comments from White’s chief of staff and spokesperson have not received a response.
According to an affidavit from an FBI agent, White allegedly agreed in June to accept approximately $156,000 in kickbacks and cash payments in return for influencing government agency employees to extend contracts worth over $5 million for two companies providing violence intervention services.
The 40-year-old councilmember also reportedly received a $20,000 bribe to assist in resolving a contract dispute by exerting pressure on senior district officials.
An informant cooperating with the FBI, who has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to fraud and bribery, disclosed that he provided White with gifts, including travel to destinations like the Dominican Republic and Las Vegas, alongside monetary bribes.
White has been a member of the D.C. council since 2017, representing a predominantly Black ward that has a poverty rate nearly double that of the overall district. He is currently running for re-election against a Republican challenger in November.
In the past, White faced challenges in the Democratic primary two years ago against Mayor Muriel Bowser. Once a grassroots community activist, White served as a protégé of former Mayor Marion Barry, who also represented his current ward.
In March 2018, White sparked controversy when he posted a video claiming that an unexpected snowfall was the result of “the Rothschilds controlling the climate to create natural disasters.” The Rothschild family, associated with banking, is frequently cited in various conspiracy theories.
At that time, White claimed he was unaware that such weather-related conspiracy theories were considered antisemitic. Further scrutiny arose when a video surfaced of White promoting similar conspiracy theories during a discussion with city officials, questioning assumptions about the Rothschilds’ influence over the World Bank and federal government.
