Nigerian-American Mayor Arrested for Alleged Hate Crime Hoax

Nigerian-American Mayor Yemi Mobolade arrested by FBI for alleged hate crime hoax. Learn more about the charges and Mobolade's background.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade into custody for allegedly orchestrating a racially motivated attack on himself. This incident was reportedly an attempt to influence his election campaign.

The FBI has referred Mobolade for prosecution due to accusations of making false statements related to a hate crime hoax. This hoax was allegedly designed to bolster his candidacy.

On November 12, the acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announced charges against three of Mobolade's supporters. The charges stem from an incident in which the supporters allegedly vandalized one of Mobolade's campaign signs with a racial slur and placed a burning cross nearby.

The supporters of Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade sent videos of a staged racist attack to the media, aiming to boost Black voter turnout for Mobolade, an African immigrant, during the mayoral runoff election against Wayne Williams. This move was intended to galvanize support for Mobolade, a left-wing candidate, who eventually won the election against a white Republican in the conservative-leaning city.

Mobolade's victory was marred by controversy when FBI investigators uncovered communications revealing his close contact with the lead suspect, Derrick Bernard Jr., before, during, and after the incident. This discovery led to Mobolade's arrest and referral for prosecution for making false statements related to the hate crime hoax.

Mobolade has made history as the first Black man and immigrant to be elected mayor of Colorado Springs. However, the circumstances surrounding his election have raised questions about the authenticity of the racist attack and his involvement in the hoax.

Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade was interviewed twice by the FBI regarding a hate crime hoax that occurred during his election campaign. Despite being confronted with evidence, Mobolade vehemently denied having any contact with the lead suspect, Derrick Bernard. However, investigators found dozens of messages exchanged between Mobolade and Bernard, contradicting the mayor's claims.

The FBI referred Mobolade to the Department of Justice for charges related to making false statements to federal investigators. Notably, Bernard, a career criminal, was previously sentenced to 32 months in prison in 2018 for attempting to kill two police officers and was later convicted of an unrelated murder.

The incident has sparked controversy, with some critics accusing Mobolade of orchestrating the hate crime hoax to gain sympathy votes. The Department of Justice's decision not to charge Mobolade has also raised concerns about selective enforcement and the need for accountability.

Here's a brief summary of what happened:

• The FBI has referred Mobolade for prosecution, accusing him of making false statements regarding a hate crime hoax designed to bolster his candidacy 

• Three of Mobolade's supporters were charged with defacing one of his campaign signs by writing a racial slur on it and placing a burning cross nearby.

An official reportedly commented, “The initial response from the Department of Justice was, 'We can't indict the first Black mayor of Colorado Springs. In my experience, if anyone else had been in that position, they would have been charged with lying to a federal agent.”

About Yemi Mobolade

Yemi Mobolade is a Nigerian-American politician who was elected as the mayor of Colorado Springs in 2023  He is the first Black person to hold the office and has been vocal about his experiences as an immigrant and his commitment to serving his community.

The hate crime incident occurred in 2023, specifically between the general election on April 4 and the subsequent runoff election in May. The runoff election was necessary due to the tight results of the general election.