The FBI arrested Washington, D.C. Council member Trayon White Sr. on Sunday on charges that at first seemed unclear, but later turned out to be for allegedly taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. 

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) said that White was arrested around 2 p.m. and that he and the council had not known White was under investigation.

White was first elected in 2016 and represents Ward 8 in Southeast Washington.

“I’m anxious to get more details to understand what the situation is,” Mendelson told FOX 5. “You all know as much as I know.”

What happened?

There were reports in March that White and his campaign owed over $80,000 in fines. At first, it was thought that he may have run afoul of the Fair Elections Program, a new initiative for public financing that has strict reporting requirements.

“The Washington City Paper reported last week that the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance levied a $20,000 fine against White and his campaign treasurer,” Fox 5 said in March. “On top of that, OCF says White owes nearly $59,000 in public funds he received through D.C.’s Fair Elections Program.”

“The Fair Elections Program is a relatively new program where candidates can be eligible for some public financing. If a candidate receives that money, though, It’s subject to a pretty thorough audit with reporting requirements,” the report added.

On Monday, however, The Washington Post reported that White is being charged with bribery charges and taking kickbacks for pressuring D.C. government employees to extend contracts that served at-risk youth.

"We better than that"

The FBI said it has an informant and recorded conversations between White and the informant contractor, who dealt with White in the scheme.

White is accused of taking $156,000 in cash and trips to the Dominican Republic and Las Vegas.

“What you need me to do, man,” White told the informant in a recording after being given $15,000 in cash, according to the affidavit. “I don’t wanna feel like you gotta gimme something to get something. We better than that.”

But White took the cash, the affidavit said.

White will be arraigned Monday in front of a magistrate.

His campaign said he was going to give back $59,000, but did not address the bribery and kickback charges.