ST. LOUIS –Hours after demonstrators at St. Louis City Hall called for his resignation in the wake of Thursday's indictments on "pay to play" corruption and insurance fraud charges, Alderman Jeffrey Boyd's attorney confirmed to Spectrum News that Boyd would step down, effective Friday afternoon.
Boyd participated in Friday morning's meeting of the Board of Aldermen, held virtually due to COVID-19. Reed participated, but did not chair the meeting.
Spectrum News reached out to Aldermwoman Megan Green after the indictment was unsealed Thursday and asked her if the Board can function if Reed and Boyd stay on. She said she wasn't sure but that it "definitely (is) going to cause a cloud over us."
The charges center around the aldermen receiving payments and bribes to help secure a business owner tax abatements for projects in St. Louis City. Separately, Boyd is also charged with insurance fraud related to his private business.
"Mayor Jones is deeply troubled by the allegations outlined by the US Attorney against Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, Alderman John Collins-Muhammad, and President Lewis Reed. Our office will monitor this case as it progresses through the legal system,” according to Nick Dunne, the mayor’s Public Information Officer.
The three men were in federal court this afternoon. Collins-Muhammad resigned last month, admitting he had “made mistakes” without saying what those mistakes were.
The 66-page indictment alleges Collins-Muhammad accepted money, campaign contributions, and gifts like cars and electronics from a business owner named “John Doe” in exchange for his help in getting the man a Tax Abatement for a project in Collins-Muhammad’s 21st ward.
“John Doe” paid Collins-Muhammad $2,500 in the winter of 2020 according to the court document. The indictment also includes the following conversation between the two men:
John Doe: "What I owe you for this?"
COLLINS-MUHAMMAD: "25."
John Doe: "I really appreciate it, my man."
COLLINS-MUHAMMAD: "No problem at all."
John Doe: "You're saving me plenty of money." COLLINS-MUHAMMAD: "That's our job."
Lewis Reed is also accused of taking money from “John Doe” in helping him get a Minority Business Enterprise certification for his trucking and hauling company.
Here is part of a conversation between them in 2020:
John Doe: "Do cash rather than checks?" REED: "Yeah, that's fine, too. That'll work, yeah."
“John Doe” is also accused of giving Reed campaign contributions totaling $3,500 and four additional payments of $4,000 in exchange for Reed’s help. There were other alleged payments too according to the indictment.
Collins-Muhammad introduced “John Doe” to Jeffrey Boyd, alderman in the 22nd ward, according to the indictment. “John Doe” allegedly gave Boyd $2,500 in cash in July 2020 to gain his support for a proposed development on Geraldine Avenue.
“John Doe” also gave Collins-Muhammad $1,000 for making the introduction, according to the indictment.
The court document goes on to say Collins-Muhammad devised and participated in a scheme to defraud and deprive citizens of the 21st ward of their right to honest services through bribery scheme. He’s also accused of using his official capacity to introduce and sponsor several Aldermanic Board Bills in order to obtain Ordinances which led to a property Tax Abatement for “John Doe’s” project. The indictment also says Collins-Muhammad failed to disclose his relationship when he sponsored the bill.
Reed was the only defendant to speak to reporters after appearing in court. He did not directly answer pointed questions about the accusations, but did say he would appear at Friday morning's Board of Alderman meeting.