Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly orchestrating a fake racist attack on himself to boost his chances in the mayoral election.
The investigation has also led to the referral of Mayor Mobolade to the Department of Justice for allegedly making false statements regarding the incident, which officials have described as a hate crime hoax.
According to reports, on November 12, the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado announced charges against three of Mobolade’s supporters—Derrick Bernard Jr., Ashley Blackcloud, and Deanna West. They allegedly defaced one of his campaign signs with racial slurs and placed a burning cross in front of it. The group reportedly filmed the incident and distributed the footage to media outlets to galvanize support for Mobolade, who is an African immigrant.
The alleged staged hate crime occurred between the April 4 general election and the May runoff, which Mobolade narrowly won against Republican Wayne Williams in the conservative-leaning city. Investigators revealed that Mobolade had been in consistent communication with the lead suspect, Bernard, before, during, and after the incident.
When questioned, Mobolade denied any involvement or contact with Bernard. However, the FBI had already obtained text messages between the two, contradicting his statements. During interviews, agents observed Mobolade scrolling through his phone, appearing to avoid specific messages, seemingly unaware that the bureau had access to his communications from other sources.
Bernard, a known career criminal with a history of violent offenses, had previously served a 32-month prison sentence in 2018. He has also been convicted of an unrelated murder.
Despite the evidence, sources claimed initial resistance from the Department of Justice to prosecute Mobolade, citing his status as Colorado Springs’ first Black mayor. One official remarked, “If it were anyone else, they would have already been charged with lying to federal agents.”
This case has sparked widespread discussions about integrity in public office and the misuse of race-related issues for political gain. Further developments are expected as legal proceedings unfold.
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