A Tumultuous Return from Washington, D.C.
District 6 Councilman Cleve Dunn returned to Baton Rouge this week and stepped into a major legal fight. He now faces charges for bribery, money laundering, public contract fraud, illegal split commission of commodities, malfeasance in office, and several conspiracy counts. Deputies booked him into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Saturday after a grand jury issued the indictment.
How the Alleged Scheme Worked
Agents with the Louisiana Department of Justice say Dunn used his council seat to steer a $50,000 contract through the Capital Area Transit System. They claim he connected CATS contractor Jay Kolar with former CATS administrator Perlina Thomas and helped push the deal through.
Investigators say Supreme Solutions — the company paid for the contract — once belonged to Dunn and his wife. Records show at least $33,000 from the payment later moved to Core Group LLC, a business linked to Dunn. According to WBRZ’s reporting, Kolar never controlled the company’s bank account.
Why Prosecutors Stacked Charges
Attorney Franz Borghardt describes this as a “kitchen sink” indictment. Prosecutors included every charge they could, instead of filing a narrow case. He notes Dunn is presumed innocent and may argue that he violated ethics rules rather than criminal laws.
What Comes Next for Baton Rouge
This case may only be the start. As more names surface in the CATS investigation, lower-level players may cooperate, which often leads to additional indictments. That raises a bigger question for voters: how deep does this issue go?
Dunn still holds his seats on both the Metro Council and the CATS board unless each group decides otherwise. Elected officials in Louisiana do not automatically lose their roles when charged.
This story continues to build momentum, and Talk 107.3 will keep covering every development as it unfolds.