An 82-year-old United States senator, L. Louise Lucas, has been indicted alongside six other individuals over an alleged scheme involving the illegal sale of marijuana and laundering of proceeds, according to reports by CNN.
Lucas, a Democrat and president pro tempore of Virginia’s Senate, is facing multiple charges, including racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Prosecutors alleged that Lucas operated several businesses involved in the purchase and sale of marijuana in illegal quantities as part of an effort to accumulate wealth for her family.
Her daughter, Lisa Lucas-Burke, who is contesting for a seat on the Portsmouth City Council, is also among those named in the indictment.
FBI Director Kash Patel accused the senator of using her political influence to shield the businesses from criminal investigations and advance legislation that would generate financial benefits for her associates.
Announcing the charges, Patel alleged that Lucas collaborated with close family members and associates to establish what he described as a criminal marijuana enterprise.
Lucas, who has publicly supported marijuana legalisation in Virginia, surrendered to law enforcement following the indictment, according to a spokesperson for the US Department of Justice.
Reacting to the development on Thursday, the senator condemned the federal government’s actions, describing the prosecution as an attack on an elderly public official.
“Today, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the full weight of the federal government have been wielded against an 82-year-old great-grandmother,” she said.
Lucas added that her experiences growing up during the Jim Crow era had strengthened her resolve to resist what she considers attempts by powerful individuals to silence her.
“I grew up under Jim Crow. I’ve seen what happens when people in power try to silence those who stand up to them. I spent my life fighting back, and I’m not stopping now,” she stated.
The indictment further alleges that Lucas paid $750,000 to acquire full ownership of a shell holding company purportedly created to help an associate secure a licence to sell marijuana in Virginia.
According to the Justice Department, the senator subsequently received an alleged bribe from the associate and failed to declare her financial interest in the company in the economic disclosure forms required of lawmakers.
Investigators also accused Lucas of discussing plans to obtain a recreational marijuana licence with an unidentified associate and arrangements for sharing the business proceeds.
Earlier this year, FBI agents searched two marijuana outlets linked to the senator as part of an investigation that began during the administration of former President Joe Biden. Court allegations cited in the indictment indicate that marijuana and firearms were recovered from both locations.
The case comes as Virginia prepares for the introduction of regulated retail marijuana sales from July 1, 2027, following the passage of a law permitting the trade.
The indictment was announced weeks before Election Day, although Lucas is not seeking re-election this year.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said Lucas and her family should be allowed to defend themselves against the allegations. However, she questioned the timing of the prosecution, warning that it could further undermine public confidence in the Justice Department.
Lucas and the other defendants remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
