Allieu Badara Kamara Jr., who stepped down as executive director of Life Deeds after White’s arrest, admitted to charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Kamara resigned from his position as executive director of Life Deeds following White’s arrest in August. The nonprofit organization released a statement on its website, stating that the decision for Kamara to leave was made in the best interests of both parties.
Kamara is facing charges in relation to two distinct schemes. The first scheme involves an attempt to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program, designed to provide financial assistance during the pandemic, out of millions of dollars. The second scheme involves bribery related to contracts managed by the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA).
According to Kamara’s confession, he and a minimum of three accomplices conspired to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications from April 2020 to August 2022. As part of their scheme, the loan recipients would distribute a portion of the funds to Kamara and an accountant affiliated with his businesses who had prepared the applications.
Kamara confessed to accepting over $620,000 in kickbacks out of the total sum received through the PPP scheme.
Between January 2019 and December 2023, Kamara admitted to participating in a scheme to bribe a CFSA contract specialist. This specialist, who was allegedly one of Kamara’s co-conspirators in the PPP loan scheme, provided confidential information regarding contracts and grants awarded by the agency.
Over the course of this period, Kamara’s businesses, including Life Deeds and District Services Management, which he owns, obtained contracts totaling more than $2 million. In return, Kamara acknowledged paying the contract specialist at least $233,520.
The plea deal, which was entered in August but only unsealed this week, provides fresh insights into the investigation that ultimately resulted in the arrest of White on unrelated bribery charges. Furthermore, this plea marks the initial revelation of bribery allegations at CFSA.
When WUSA9 reached out for comment, D.C. City Administrator Kevin Donahue responded by stating that the city is currently reviewing the filing in Kamara’s case.
Donahue stated that they are currently reviewing the documents that were recently unsealed by the U.S. District Court. Additionally, they are conducting an internal review of the contracts and grants that were awarded to Life Deeds and its affiliates.
In 2016, White, who was elected to represent Ward 8, stands accused of accepting envelopes containing $35,000 in cash. The alleged exchange was made in return for using his position on the D.C. Council to exert pressure on government agencies.
He aimed to secure the renewal of profitable public safety contracts with organizations controlled by an undisclosed confidential human source (CHS). It is alleged that White anticipated receiving kickbacks exceeding $150,000 if the contracts were successfully renewed.
Filings in White’s case reveal that the CHS reached a plea agreement on August 9th and finalized it in court on August 16th. The charges against them include conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bribery. .
Similarly, Kamara’s case also involved the same charges, with a plea agreement signed on August 9th and executed before a federal magistrate judge on August 16th.
The filings in White’s case further indicate that the CHS pleaded guilty to obtaining fraudulent PPP loans and engaging in other corrupt activities, including bribery of a District of Columbia official.
Federal investigators became aware of White’s activities when the CHS, as part of a cooperation agreement, reported a $20,000 bribe that White had accepted to mediate a contract dispute involving his company and the city.
In 2019, the city of D.C. terminated a $3 million contract with Life Deeds, which was under Kamara’s control, for its management of a shelter for homeless families. City officials had discovered that Life Deeds had been fabricating background checks for its staff members.
In White’s case filings, it is mentioned that he was offered a bribe to assist in resolving a dispute related to a contract with the city. The contract involved providing case management services for families facing homelessness, but it was terminated in January 2019.
The termination occurred after the D.C. Department of Human Services discovered that the majority of the background check documents submitted by the company were falsified. The city eventually reached a settlement with Life Deeds, the company involved, in May 2020.
Councilman White is facing accusations of accepting additional bribes starting in June 2024. The allegations claim that he used his position on the council to exert influence over employees at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services.
The purpose was to secure the renewal of contracts and grants worth millions of dollars. Despite the charges, White maintains his innocence and has stated that he does not intend to step down from his council position, as expressed during a recent meeting with constituents.
“I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere,” White confidently declared. “I firmly believe that God is going to perform a miraculous work in our district, and I intend to be present when it unfolds.”
WUSA9 attempted to contact Kamara multiple times after White’s arrest but did not receive a response. In August, a representative from Life Deeds confirmed that the organization was still providing violence interruption services in Wards 1 and 4.
According to Kamara’s plea agreement, he will potentially be sentenced to 7.5-10 years in prison. In exchange for his cooperation, prosecutors have agreed to submit a 5K letter, which will support a downward departure if Kamara has provided significant assistance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As of now, a sentencing date has not been scheduled.