Nonprofit linked to Councilmember Trayon White's bribery case still operates in DC, employee says

WASHINGTON — The nearly 40-page affidavit in Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White's bribery case never mentions the name of the government contractor who helped the FBI in their operation. However, the court documents provide some details into this person's role in the case against White. 

The affidavit indicates that the contractor operated several businesses with the District of Columbia and that he agreed to plead guilty to a series of federal charges as part of a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors. The charges stem from fraudulent loans obtained through the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program and other corruption offenses, according to court documents. 

In exchange for the plea deal, the contractor agreed to cooperate with law enforcement and he reported a, "corrupt relationship with White" that included gifts ─ including trips to the Dominican Republic and Las Vegas. 

Details in the affidavit helped the WUSA9 investigative team piece together that the nonprofit Life Deeds, Inc. is connected to White's Aug. 18 arrest.

A photograph included in the affidavit shows a ledger with the grants from D.C. Government agencies. In the ledger, the words "floating team" and "one and four team" and their corresponding grant values are listed.

According to the city's website, its violence interrupter contract in Wards 1 and 4 is with the company Life Deeds, Inc. Life Deeds also has a contract with the District for a "floating team" of violence interrupters.

In 2019, D.C. terminated a $3 million contract with this company to manage a shelter for homeless families just four months after it opened.  City officials say Life Deeds, Inc. was falsifying background checks on staff members.

During the same period, the affidavit for White's arrest states that the Ward 8 Councilmember accepted a $20,000 bribe to use his position to try and resolve this contract dispute. "Specifically, White agreed to use his public position to pressure high ranking District government officials to resolve the dispute," the affidavit says. 

The details of the dispute mentioned in the court documents are identical to the situation experienced by Life Deeds, Inc. during the same period.

The U.S. Attorney's Office and the Mayor's Office did not confirm the details uncovered by our investigative team.

WUSA9 reached out several times to Allieu Kamara who is listed as the owner of Life Deeds, Inc. but we did not get a response back. However, an employee of Life Deeds told our Chief Investigative Reporter, Eric Flack, that they are still operating in these communities. 

"I am particularly concerned by the connection between this alleged impropriety and the provision of government services and contracts for our violence intervention programs," Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto said in a statement. 

Pinto, who chairs the Committee on Justice and Public Safety, added that she will be, "holding rigorous public hearings this fall to evaluate the potential reach of these allegations and ensure the efficacy of, and restore public trust in, our violence intervention efforts."