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Virginia's Sen. Louise Lucas indicted on drug and money laundering charges as FBI probe ‘marijuana enterprise’
Virginia Senator L. Louise Lucas was indicted over alleged marijuana trafficking, racketeering and money laundering. She denies the charges.
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Democrat Virginia Senator L. Louise Lucas was indicted on Thursday on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to sell marijuana. FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement that Sen. Lucas allegedly ran a “criminal marijuana enterprise” with a “close-knit group of family members and associates.”
Six others, including members of Senator Lucas' family, were also indicted. Federal authorities allege that Sen. L. Louise Lucas allegedly used her position as the "“position as Chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to insulate the enterprise from criminal scrutiny and influencing legislation to financially benefit themselves.” Senator Lucas is also the president pro tempore of Virginia’s senate.
A spokesperson with the Department of Justice said Sen. Lucas surrendered to the authorities on her own after the indictment and denied the charges.
The 82-year-old Senator also released a statement calling the indictment a political attack on her. “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.
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.”
The indictment comes after a raid at various locations linked to the Senator, including her Portsmouth, Virginia, office, on May 6 this year. Armed FBI agents and SWAT teams raided the locations and seized evidence, which was subsequently cited by prosecutors in Thursday's indictment.
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What Are The Allegations Against Sen. Louise Lucas
Kash Patel announced Thursday that Louise Lucas faces five conspiracy charges related to racketeering, distributing marijuana, and committing money laundering.
The DOJ alleges that Sen. Lucas distributed at least $100 kilograms marijuana through her marijuana-related businesses. Kash Patel also confirmed that nearly $5 million worth of proceeds over five years related to the alleged illegal proceeds was traced during the investigation.
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Inside Sen. Lukas' 'Marijuana Empire'
Senator Louise Lucas has co-owned a storefront called The Cannabis Outlet, which opened in 2021 after the Biden era eased on recreational marijuana. She is also associated with a retail business called The CBD Shoppe in Norfolk, Virginia. The transactions of both shops are being investigated by the FBI, even as they remain temporarily closed after the May 2026 federal raids.
The consumption of recreational marijuana is legal in Virginia. However, there are restrictions on their sale, as retailers are only allowed to sale legal, hemp-based products. The lawsuit alleges that Sen. Louise's businesses allegedly floundered those restrictions and sold high-potency variants out of the storefronts.
