After being sworn in as interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota addresses the crowd on hand at the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence on Thursday, October 16, 2025. He replaces Frank White, who was removed by voters in a recall election.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Interim Jackson County Executive Philip LeVota has been indicted on federal bribery charges accusing him of trying to influence the 2026 race for county executive by offering government jobs in exchange for political support.
A federal grand jury indicted LeVota, 61, on five charges, including honest services fraud, federal program bribery, two counts of Travel Act violations and making false statements to federal investigators, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.
Federal prosecutors announced the charges in a Thursday press release.
“As part of the scheme, LeVota entered into an agreement for the candidate to abandon the election in exchange for the candidate and a colleague of the candidate receiving full-time positions in the government of Jackson County,” the release claims.
The release also alleges LeVota lied to FBI agents when questioned about the agreement on April 6.
“The allegations contained in the indictment are incredibly serious and should send a clear warning to any officeholders who violate their oath,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Price said in a statement. “The citizens in the Western District deserve to have faith in their public officials.”
FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormeord said the indictment alleges “serious breaches” of the public’s trust.
“The citizens of Jackson County deserve honesty, transparency, accountability, and integrity from those entrusted with public office,” Ormeord said.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on July 16 but remained under seal until LeVota’s initial court appearance on Thursday.
When reached by a reporter, LeVota said he would return requests for comments soon.
What the indictment claims
The 18-page indictment alleges LeVota considered entering the race for Jackson County Executive, despite previously saying that he didn’t intend to run, including with another candidate the indictment lists as Individual 1.
Levota is alleged to have had discussions with others about what he could offer to Individual 1 to abandon the race, including offering various jobs within the county government, including offering the person the director of Jackson County Parks and Recreation in exchange.
Prosecutors allege LeVota said several political allies had already spoken with the candidate about leaving the race, including an unnamed “Individual 2.” The indictment says the same person had previously suggested LeVota could appoint the candidate to a county position and was later included in plans to discuss the arrangement.
The indictment does not identify Individual 2 but does use female pronouns in reference to them.
The indictment alleges the two negotiated the details of the arrangement, including salary. After the candidate said he wanted to earn about $165,000 as parks director, LeVota allegedly agreed, telling him, “One sixty-five’s the number.”
LeVota also allegedly agreed to provide an employment contract and discussed creating an interim county position until the parks job became available.
The indictment alleges LeVota agreed to find a county job with higher pay for one of the candidate’s colleagues, telling the candidate, “We will put her somewhere.”
The indictment includes text messages exchanged after the meeting.
According to prosecutors, the candidate texted LeVota on March 30 that he was “agreeing to withdraw from the race in return for the positions and salary discussed.”
LeVota allegedly responded that the candidate was “not withdrawing in return for anything” before immediately calling him and warning that “that’s not a good thing to have in writing.”
On March 31, LeVota called Individual 1 and the two discussed the other candidates that filed to enter the race. LeVota allegedly said, “I just think today, you don’t get out today,” the indictment alleges.
LeVota was approached by two FBI agents on April 6, according to the court records. When he was approached, LeVota said he needed more context into the nature of the investigation which the indictment claims was provided by the agents and “attorneys for the government.”
“After LeVota was provided additional context for the nature of this investigation, LeVota said, ‘There have been people circulating about what I would do with [INDIVIDUAL 1] if he withdrew, and my position has always been that I could beat [INDIVIDUAL 1] easily in the race,’” the court record said. “’There’s—there was no, uhh, intent to do anything for [INDIVIDUAL 1] at this time talking about the future about what he would do, umm, is not something that I ever committed to.’”
The indictment alleges that LeVota told them later in the discussion that no deal had been made.
LeVota’s time in office
LeVota, an attorney and longtime Democratic political operative in Jackson County, was appointed interim county executive in October 2025 after lawmakers selected him over 12 other applicants to complete the remainder of former County Executive Frank White Jr.’s term following White’s recall.
Although he had never before held countywide elected office, LeVota had been a familiar figure in Jackson County politics for decades.
He previously chaired the Jackson County Democratic Party, worked as an assistant prosecutor under then-Jackson County Prosecutor Claire McCaskill, opened a private law practice and founded a lobbying and consulting firm.
At the time of his appointment, LeVota publicly pledged he would serve only as interim executive and would not seek a full term. LeVota later reversed course on his pledge not to run for county executive, entering the 2026 race before ultimately withdrawing his candidacy in April.
He is set to speak at a press conference at 4 p.m.
This story was originally published August 6, 2026 at 2:57 PM.
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Ben Wheeler
The Kansas City Star
Ben Wheeler is the Law Enforcement Watchdog Reporter for The Star. He joined The Star after spending the last five years of his career in Memphis, Tennessee where he worked as an investigative reporter focused on law enforcement accountability reporting, covering everything from budgets to Tyre Nichols death at the hands of police officers and the subsequent Department of Justice pattern or practice investigation.
