Update, June 8, 9 a.m.: All three aldermen have now resigned. Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed, last to do so, on Tuesday, issued a statement saying that “This was a very difficult decision, but this is what I need to do for my family and to ensure a fully functional city government that our citizens deserve.” Reed was president of the Board of Aldermen for 15 years. Alderman Joe Vollmer is now acting board president.
Original story: A federal grand jury has indicted St. Louis’ Board of Aldermen president and two aldermen on charges related to bribery and corruption, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. The indictment accuses the three men of accepting cash payments and other donations in exchange for support on property tax abatements.
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President Lewis Reed, Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, who represents the 22nd ward, and former Alderman John Collins-Muhammad, who represented the 21st ward until his resignation last month, are expected to make appearances in federal court Thursday afternoon, according to St. Louis Public Radio.
A 66-page indictment states that an unnamed developer—referred to as John Doe—asked Reed, Boyd, and Collins-Muhammad for help in securing property tax abatements on two different properties and alleges that the aldermen accepted cash in exchange for assistance. The first property was a planned gas station/convenience store development in Collins-Muhammad’s ward. The second is a development plan for a city-owned commercial property on Geraldine Avenue in Boyd’s ward. According to the document, Doe also asked for help in obtaining a Minority Business Enterprise certification for his trucking and hauling company. The court document also states that Collins-Muhammad was given a Volkswagen.
The indictment includes transcriptions of conversations between Doe and Collins-Muhammad, as well as Reed and Boyd.
Reed was first elected to the Board of Aldermen in 1999 and was elected its president in 2007. Last year, he ran, unsuccessfully, for mayor, his third attempt at the office.
Boyd has served on the Board of Aldermen since 2003.
Collins-Muhammad was elected in 2017. Last month, he resigned without explanation, asking on social media for prayers for his family and himself. He hinted that, “I have made mistakes, and I take full responsibility for those mistakes.”
This story will be updated.
