Fraud, money laundering trial delayed for two now-suspended Jacksonville City Council members

Jacksonville, FL — Just a couple of weeks before two now-suspended Jacksonville City Council members were slated to face a jury on federal charges, including fraud and money laundering, the trial has been pushed off.

There was a joint motion by the government and Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown to continue the trial. It had been slated for September 4th, but is now scheduled for February 4th.

The defendants were jointly named in a 38-count federal indictment, relating to Katrina Brown's family BBQ sauce business. The indictment says Katrina Brown did not disclose that the business was failing, and instead she and Reggie Brown used shell businesses to draw down on a federally-backed loan for the business, for work that was never done.

Katrina Brown is also charged with using fraudulent information to try to secure bank loans for the business, and Reggie Brown is also charged with not filing a tax return one year and not disclosing money he received from this alleged scheme to the IRS.

Both Democratic City Council members were suspended from the governing body, following the indictment. Governor Rick Scott has appointed Ju'Coby Pittman and Terrance Freeman are their replacements, and both have since been sworn in.