Published on: October 17, 2025, 10:24 AM.
Updated on: October 17, 2025, 10:40 AM.
- Prosecutors aim to include MGM casino documents as evidence
- Trayon White allegedly received $156K in cash bribes
- Councilmember expelled, then re-elected amid ongoing corruption case
Federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., are seeking judicial authorization to incorporate a significant collection of MGM Resorts International casino records in an active bribery investigation involving D.C. Councilmember Trayon White.
White faces allegations of agreeing to accept $156K in cash from an unidentified city contractor in exchange for leveraging his councilmember role to secure city-funded violence-intervention contracts.
Federal authorities have recorded meetings, text conversations, and cash exchanges, with some events captured on video.
The contractor mentioned in court documents is labeled as “CHS 1.” He is a local entrepreneur cooperating in the prosecution against White, who pleaded guilty in October 2024 to defrauding a pandemic relief loan system and bribery.
White was apprehended on August 18, 2024. He refutes the charges and is expected to assert that he was a target of an FBI setup.
767 Pages of Evidence
The MGM records form part of a comprehensive list of documentation, including banking statements and financial disclosures, that prosecutors are seeking permission to present as evidence. This extensive collection spans 767 pages and relates to White’s alleged dealings at a specific MGM location.
Although the casino’s name isn’t disclosed in the filings, the MGM National Harbor in Maryland is situated just 20 minutes south of downtown Washington.
“Motive isn’t a necessary element of the crime but certainly something jurors like to consider, and these documents can be introduced if they indicate motive,” explained former federal prosecutor Myanmar Ramani to WUSA9. “For instance, if a person has a gambling addiction or is dealing with gambling debts, they may be more susceptible to accepting bribes.”
Ramani noted the extensive volume of documents is notable, implying the recorded gambling activity must be “significant or at least regular.”
The Resilient Comeback
On February 4, 2025, the D.C. Council unanimously voted to expel White from his Ward 8 position, citing both the federal bribery charges and findings from an internal ethics review. White thus became the first D.C. councilmember to be expelled from his role.
Notably, he remained eligible to run for office as he had not been convicted of a felony. In July, he opted to contest a special election for his own vacant seat, winning with a significant margin. He was officially reinstated on August 8, 2025, less than six months following his expulsion.
White’s trial is set for January 2026.