Sen. L. Louise Lucas, the Democrat leader of the Virginia state Senate, was charged Thursday with racketeering, money laundering, drug trafficking offenses, bribery, and more in a public corruption case related to her family marijuana business.

Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Theophani Stamos announced the charges at a Norfolk, Virginia, press conference, where Blanche said the investigation predates the Trump administration. In addition to Lucas, her two daughters, a grandson, and three other associates were also charged.

"The charges alleged in this indictment reveal the behavior of a public servant who put her own financial interests before the people she was elected to serve. Our federal prosecutors will continue to be guided by the facts and evidence that led a grand jury to indict Ms. Lucas and her alleged co-conspirators," Blanche said.

"The charges allege Lucas and a close-knit group of family members and associates used Lucas' position as Chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to protect their criminal marijuana enterprise — the 'Lucas Enterprise' — insulating the business from criminal scrutiny and influencing legislation to financially benefit themselves," Patel added.

The 52-page indictment against Lucas, the president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, was secured Oct. 14 and unsealed Thursday. Lucas surrendered herself to federal authorities.

The indictment places Lucas as the leader of the operation, in which she allegedly directed criminal activity, arranged for purchases and distribution of marijuana, laundered profits, and used her elected office to protect her operation against state and local authorities.

The indictment details a wire-tapped phone call where she said she sought to build "generational wealth," and that she "got too old to not be greedy."

It also appears to show her selling legislation, stating in a Nov. 15, 2025, text message trying to recover a $750,000 payment, "I received a message from you after the election wherein you stated that you have the answer. And, you know I will be carrying the legislation as the Chief Co-Patron. Yes, we can make a lot of money but, before we start down that road again; how about we begin with you sending at least a good faith payment of the money you owe me with arrangements for the balance. Then we can talk future business plans."

Lucas' $750,000 payment was allegedly to a shell company called "Mama's Chicken, LLC," for which the indictment says she and the co-conspirator "expected to obtain a Virginia recreational marijuana license.

The legal status of marijuana in Virginia is somewhat complicated, and legalization in the state has been phased in. Virginia currently allows businesses to sell marijuana for medical purposes, and recreational stores are supposed to be on the way. According to the indictment, Lucas attempted to have influence over licenses for recreational marijuana stores and push state policy to benefit her business.

While Virginia has five licensed marijuana growers, from 2022 to 2023, Lucas allegedly purchased roughly 100 pounds, or between $100,000 and $150,000 worth, of marijuana from a co-conspirator who is not licensed.

"I grew up under Jim Crow," she added. "I've seen what happens when people in power try to silence those who stand up to them."