FBI Targets Government Gangsters in Memphis and Shelby County: Begins With Edmund Ford Jr. at the Center of Corruption Takedown
By: Public Affairs Staff on February 28, 2025
FBI Crackdown on Memphis’ Government
Gangsters Begin with Edmund Ford Jr. As FBI
Targets Corrupt Memphis and Shelby County Politicians
MEMPHIS, TN — Another Memphis politician has fallen. The man with immense power and influence responsible for getting city council members to support his agendas and even Memphis mayor Paul Young to hire him as he works for both sides of the fence, Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. surrendered to federal authorities Friday morning, walking into the Odell Horton Federal Building with his attorney and father, former Memphis City Councilman Edmund Ford Sr. by his side.
Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., once a powerful political figure in Memphis, surrendered to the FBI Friday morning after being indicted on bribery and tax evasion charges. His arrest, the latest in a long line of corruption scandals, raises one major question: How many more Memphis politicians will fall next?
Ford Jr., accompanied by his father, City Councilman Edmund Ford Sr., and attorney Michael Scholl, walked into the Odell Horton Federal Building as the walls of corruption began closing in. This is not just an isolated case—this is a full-blown federal takedown of Memphis’ deeply corrupt political machine.
More For Memphis: The FBI Already Knows
The FBI has been made aware of the ongoing More for Memphis scandal, a multi-million-dollar scheme where taxpayer funds were allegedly funneled to political insiders, nonprofits, and campaign backers under the guise of economic mobility. JB Smiley Jr., another key player in the scandal, has been accused of using his position to steer public funds into the hands of politically connected organizations.
Ford’s indictment adds another “government gangster” to a growing list of Memphis officials accused of using their office for personal enrichment. With evidence of secret deals, kickbacks, and financial manipulation, Memphis has now cemented itself as the most corrupt Democratic city in America.
The Federal Charges: A Web of Fraud and Corruption
According to federal court documents, Ford Jr. has been indicted on one count of bribery and kickbacks and six counts of attempted tax evasion. The indictment reveals that:
- $250,000 in deposits were made into businesses linked to Ford from 2017 to 2021.
- Three unnamed nonprofits received taxpayer-funded grants from the Memphis City Council and Shelby County Commission while Ford was in office, later funneling money back into Ford’s personal business accounts.
- Junior Achievement, a nonprofit that received $450,000 in public funds, later paid $45,000 to Ford’s company, E&J Computers, in a clear conflict of interest.
- Ford manipulated ethics rules by voting for the grant twice in committee but abstaining from the final vote, a tactic to shield himself from direct accountability while still profiting.
- The scheme was designed to hide income from the IRS, constituting multiple counts of tax fraud and financial misrepresentation.
Memphis’ Government Gangsters: A Culture of Corruption
This isn’t the first time Memphis politicians have been accused of abusing their positions for financial gain. JB Smiley Jr., a More for Memphis insider, has been linked to allegations of political intimidation, donor influence, and questionable financial dealings.
Smiley allegedly told former Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins:
“You don’t know these people… My funders are on me now telling me she has to go because they know I supported you… They are telling me to get rid of you.”
Such statements expose the deep financial entanglements between Memphis’ political class and their campaign donors, who allegedly control city contracts and nonprofit funding in exchange for political favors.
Will JB Smiley Jr. be the next to face federal charges? With the FBI now targeting elected officials who exploit their office, Memphis’ political elite should be worried.
The Laws Broken: A Legal Reckoning is Coming
Ford Jr. and others linked to this corruption could face charges under:
- 18 U.S. Code § 201 – Bribery of Public Officials
- 18 U.S. Code § 1341 & § 1343 – Mail and Wire Fraud
- 18 U.S. Code § 666 – Theft or Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds
- 18 U.S. Code § 1951 – Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence (Hobbs Act violations)
- Tennessee Open Meetings Act Violations – For holding secret meetings to funnel money to favored nonprofits
- Campaign Finance Violations – For using taxpayer dollars to benefit political donors
Memphis: The Most Corrupt Democratic City in America?
With Ford’s arrest, Memphis has reached a breaking point. The city’s political leadership is being exposed as a network of self-dealing, pay-to-play schemes, and blatant criminal activity.
How long before the entire house of cards collapses? How many other elected officials are involved in these shady nonprofit deals and political kickbacks?
What’s Next: Who Will the FBI Target Now?
Ford Jr. was just the latest domino to fall, but he won’t be the last. Memphis residents should expect:
- More federal indictments against city and county officials.
- Increased FBI scrutiny on Memphis’ campaign finance and nonprofit funding schemes.
- A possible RICO case against corrupt officials acting as a criminal enterprise.
It’s time for the government gangsters running Memphis to be held accountable. The city’s leaders must be investigated, prosecuted, and removed from office if Memphis is ever to move forward.
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