Day one of the federal trial of Ward 8 D.C. Council member Trayon White, a crowded courtroom heard opening statements from prosecutors and defense attorneys asking jurors to decide: Did White accept bribes or not?
It also revealed a bombshell: the associate was White’s brother-in-law and was working with the FBI.
White was arrested in 2024 and charged with accepting more than $150,000 in bribes from an associate in exchange for using his position to help extend violence-intervention city contracts for the associate’s businesses.
In opening statements, prosecutor John Crabb, Jr. repeatedly pointed to a recorded comment from White to the cooperating witness, Allieu Kamara: “Once you get me, if you lock eyes and get your understanding, I get to work.”
Jurors were also shown secretly recorded videos that included White accepting an envelope prosecutors say contained cash.
Crabb argued the evidence will show White used his position to help steer contracts within the D.C. government.
He also defended the use of surveillance and a confidential informant and told jurors that to prove bribery, it does not matter whether a bribe ultimately “carried through.”
Defense attorney Gary Kohlman does not dispute that White accepted money, but argued it was not a bribe and that there was no quid pro quo.
“There was no crime,” Kohlman said.
He attacked the credibility of cooperating witness, Kamara, calling him “corrupt to the bone.” Kohlman also argued Kamara needed a “get out of jail free card” as he faced his own fraud investigation.
Kohlman urged jurors to remember that evidence is only what they determine it to be and argued that unless someone sees both sides of something, “you don’t know for sure what you’re looking at.”
He also accused prosecutors of a major omission, saying they did not disclose in their opening statement that Kamara is married to White’s half-sister.
Prosecutors then began calling witnesses, including a D.C. Council attorney who testified about White’s familiarity with the council’s code of conduct.
Jurors were shown records indicating White attended ethics and conduct training sessions in the past.
The next witness was FBI Special Agent Matthew Gano, who helped build the case.
Gano testified that the FBI began investigating White in 2023, about a year before his arrest.
He said Kamara approached the FBI while he was being investigated for fraud and told agents he had previously bribed White and other city leaders.
The FBI then had Gano walk jurors through recordings made after agents provided Kamara with cash and asked him to revive that relationship.
Prosecutors say those recordings show White discussing D.C. contracts and accepting money.
White’s attorneys pressed Gano on whether White ever asked Kamara for money and why investigators did not know the two were brothers-in-law.
They also questioned whether Kamara owed White money.
Throughout the day, White engaged with his attorneys while taking notes. The jury seemed very focused with many taking notes as the witnesses spoke and videos were played.
Gano is expected to return for a second day of testimony and face additional questioning from the defense.
If convicted, White faces 15 years in prison and would lose his D.C. council seat.
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