An 82-year-old Virginia state senator has been accused of using her political position to protect an alleged illegal marijuana business linked to her family, in a case that also involves allegations of racketeering and money laundering.
L. Louise Lucas, president pro tempore of Virginia’s Senate, was indicted alongside six other defendants, including members of her family, over an alleged conspiracy to sell marijuana illegally and launder proceeds from the operation.
According to the indictment, Lucas allegedly operated several businesses involved in buying and selling illegal quantities of marijuana to build her family’s wealth.
Prosecutors further alleged that she exploited her political influence to shield the businesses from criminal scrutiny and influence legislation for financial gain.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Lucas worked with “a close-knit group of family members and associates” to establish what he described as a criminal marijuana enterprise.
Patel also alleged that Lucas used her position as chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to protect the operation and influence legislation for the group’s financial benefit.
The senator faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana, and conspiracy to launder money. A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed that she had surrendered to law enforcement.
Lucas, however, rejected the circumstances surrounding the prosecution, portraying the indictment as an attempt to silence her.
“Today, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the full weight of the federal government have been wielded against an 82-year-old great-grandmother,” she said in a statement on Thursday.
“I grew up under Jim Crow. I’ve seen what happens when people in power try to silence those who stand up to them. I spent my life fighting back, and I’m not stopping now.”
The case comes against the backdrop of Lucas’s long-standing advocacy for marijuana legalisation in Virginia. The state recently passed legislation permitting regulated retail marijuana sales from July 1, 2027, although prosecutors allege that the businesses linked to her continued to sell and maintain illegal quantities of the drug.
Lucas’s daughter, Lisa Lucas-Burke, is also among those indicted and is running for Portsmouth City Council, adding an electoral dimension to the case ahead of Election Day. Lucas herself is not seeking re-election this year.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said she had reviewed the charging document and maintained that the senator and her family should have the opportunity to defend themselves against the allegations.
Spanberger also questioned the timing of the indictment, warning that it could undermine public confidence in the Justice Department.
The charges remain allegations, and the defendants are entitled to due process as the case proceeds.
