The FBI investigated then Jackson-Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba's relationship with lobbyist Quincy Merkuro.
A federal grand jury indicted Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, Mayor Lumumba, and City Councilman Aaron Banks on public corruption charges in 2023. Former Councilwoman Angelique Lee and insurance mogul Marve Smith pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit bribery in 2023 as well.
Owens filed a motion to dismiss with a supporting memorandum and 47 exhibits Monday in U.S. District Court. The Justice Department almost immediately asked U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III to seal the filing, claiming it violated a protective order. Prosecutors justified the request:
The Protective Order protects the disclosure of personal identifying information, financial information, grand jury testimony, and other sensitive witness statements, and protects the integrity of ongoing criminal investigations related to this case....
Judge Jordan granted the request and sealed the filings but not before most of the local media downloaded the motion and the supporting exhibits.
The first exhibit states FBI agents obtained permission to use a pen registry to trace phone coverage for Mayor Lumumba, Socrates Garrett, Akil Bakari, Hondo Lumumba, Safiya Omari, and Quincy Mukoro.*
Cornell University's Legal Information Institute defines a pen register:
A pen register is a device or process that traces outgoing signals from a specific phone or computer to their destination; it is often used by law enforcement as the advanced counterpart of an outgoing call log. A pen register produces a list of the phone numbers or IP addresses contacted, but does not include substantive information transmitted by the signals.
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The pen register request states:
This investigation was based on CHS reporting and interviews indicating that Quincy Mukoro, owner of the Octagon Group and the current lobbyist for the City of Jackson, was extorting individuals who were trying to obtain contracts with the City. Statements from Mukoro suggest that Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba may be receiving kickbacks from the fees Mukoro is obtaining in exchange for the contracts with the City. Based on a witness interview (serial 98), Mukuro told a witness that he is best friends with Mayor Lumumba and he can guarantee a contract with the City in exchange for a retainer fee of $50,000 to $70,000.
The previous pen register analysis shows that Mukuro and Mayor Lumumba are communicating on a regular basis. The investigative team is working on a plan to introduce CHS's to who can bid on contracts with the City of Jackson. The plan is for one, or multiple CHS's, to meet with and pay Mukoro to guarantee a contract with the City. The purpose of the new pen register is to show real time communications between the CHS's, Mukuro, and Mayor Lumumba as these interactions are occurring.
The investigation did not transform into a prosecution.
Kingfish note:The allegation vendors were forced to hire Mukoro if they wanted to obtain city business comes as no surprise as it was a rumor in heavy circulation around the Capitol and among the Street Committee in 2022.
* Omari was the Mayor's Chief of Staff. Hondo Lumumba is a close associate of Mayor Lumumba. Akil Bakari is an IT specialist who is a close associate of the Mayor. He obtained Jackson airport contracts and was supposed to get a fat, juicy IT contract under the new garbage contract but the City Council balked. Mukoro is a lobbyist who represented Jackson.
15 comments:
What's a 'pen registry' and who is Hondo Lumumba? I'm thinking he might have been in a Clint Eastwood movie.
There is a definition in the post. Try reading.
4:52. Quick draw smartasses like you waste so much of our time here. Next time, instead of trying to be funny, why don't you try READING the post first?
The term "pen register" is very old school, going back to the 80s, when it became known as a DNR, or dialed-number recorder. It makes me smile to see that term again in 2026.
It's a pen REGISTER, but this term much have gotten lost over the years. Been there, done that, in 70s and 80s.
By the nature of it's self-proclaimed radicalism the Lumumba administration made itself a target of FBI scrutiny. Then to make things worse they associated with people whose past radical associations brought even more heat. Jackson and Hinds County have always had corruption but never on such a blatant platform.
He be witch hunt.
"...witch hunt from day one: fighting acquisition after acquisition."
The Mayor Deedy Slaughter story is definitely worth a trip into Jackson Jambalaya Archives. In fact, just the look on her face, when she's attempting to say 'Integrity', is worth the trouble.
Serious question, I can’t imagine the FBI going after a sitting black democrat politician on their own, so who put them on Lumumba and company.?
The whole blatant corrupt awarding of the garbage contract was constantly in the news. The situation invited a FBI investigation.
7:16 You have a very limited imagination.
And you are incredibly naive.
7:16 - BENNY , try to keep up.
I cannot help but wonder what the feds gained by arresting two so early. The timing of that seemed very much according to a plan.
Great article as no one knew who Hondo was. My faith is in the FBI not the COJ!
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