Michael Kimbrew, 44, of Carson, is going down for a $5,000 shake-down that reeked of federal overreach and raw greed. The former congressional staffer was found guilty today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on federal charges of bribery and attempted extortion after a three-day trial laid bare his brazen attempt to squeeze a Compton marijuana dispensary for cash.
Kimbrew, who never held public office but acted like a kingpin, demanded $5,000 from the shop’s owners between March and May 2015, threatening to shut them down unless they paid up. He claimed to “oversee all activities in Compton” and falsely asserted that his role with a Member of Congress gave him authority over local officials and city departments. The lie was as bold as the crime.
According to trial evidence, Kimbrew promised the dispensary’s operators he’d use his supposed influence to secure a permit that would keep the business running — all in exchange for the $5,000 payoff. When the owners balked, he doubled down, confronting an employee and later an undercover FBI agent in recorded meetings, repeating his threats with cold confidence.
The sting came to a head at a lunch meeting in Compton, where Kimbrew accepted a thick envelope of cash — $5,000 total — tucked inside a restaurant menu. With the money in his pocket, he pledged his “undying support” to protect the shop, sealing his fate with his own words on tape.
After roughly four hours of deliberation, the federal jury returned a guilty verdict on both counts. Convicted of bribery and attempted extortion, Kimbrew now faces a statutory maximum of 18 years in federal prison. Sentencing is set for June 4 before U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner.
The FBI ran the investigation, exposing how Kimbrew tried to weaponize his federal affiliation for personal profit. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted the case, sending a clear message: fake power comes with real consequences.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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