TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Feb 28, 2025

Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. has been federally charged with bribery and tax evasion, the Commercial Appeal reports. Ford turned himself in to federal authorities Friday morning. An indictment charges Ford with one count of bribery and kickbacks related to programs receiving federal funds and six counts of attempting to evade tax payments. If convicted on all counts, Ford could face up to 40 years in federal prison. Three nonprofits are named in the criminal complaint, along with businesses owned and operated by Ford. According to the news outlet, the charges may be connected to a previous investigation into Ford's involvement in securing a $450,000 grant for Junior Achievement of Memphis, which later purchased computers from Ford's business. The FBI executed a search warrant at Ford's home in May 2023 as part of the ongoing investigation.