Louise Lucas was indicted on Thursday on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to sell marijuana . Democrat Virginia Senator L.
FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement that Sen. Lucas allegedly ran a “criminal marijuana enterprise” with a “close-knit group of family members and associates.”
Kash Patel announced Thursday that Louise Lucas faces five conspiracy charges related to racketeering, distributing marijuana, and committing money laundering. Six others, including members of Senator Lucas’ family, were also indicted. Federal authorities allege that Sen. L. Louise Lucas allegedly used her position as the ““position as Chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to insulate the enterprise from criminal scrutiny and influencing legislation to financially benefit themselves. Senator Lucas is also the president pro tempore of Virginia’s senate. Lucas surrendered to the authorities on her own after the indictment and denied the charges. She is also associated with a retail business called The CBD Shoppe in Norfolk, Virginia.
Senator Louise Lucas has co-owned a storefront called The Cannabis Outlet, which opened in 2021 after the Biden era eased on recreational marijuana. The transactions of both shops are being investigated by the FBI, even as they remain temporarily closed after the May 2026 federal raids.
A spokesperson with the Department of Justice said Sen.
Armed FBI agents and SWAT teams raided the locations and seized evidence, which was subsequently cited by prosecutors in Thursday’s indictment. The 82-year-old Senator also released a statement calling the indictment a political attack on her. The indictment comes after a raid at various locations linked to the Senator, including her Portsmouth, Virginia, office, on May 6 this year.
“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.
