Atlantic City Cannabis Official Faces Federal Bribery Charges

Kashawn "Kash" McKinley, whom Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small calls his "point man for growing the resort town’s cannabis industry" on the city's webpage, was in federal court on Thursday, facing charges of soliciting and accepting bribes.

In one instance, the bribe payment McKinley wanted was for a cannabis shop owner to assault another person in exchange for McKinley’s official assistance with his business.

Atlantic City's Director of Constituent Services Charged With Accepting Bribes

Kashawn McKinley made his first appearance in federal Court in Camden on Thursday facing charges in connection with a scheme to solicit bribes from a cannabis business, according to U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.

McKinley, 42, is the Director of Constituent Services in Atlantic City and a member of the Atlantic City School Board.

He was charged by complaint with honest services fraud and two counts of soliciting bribes.

The Charges Kash McKinley Is Facing

According to the US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Kashawn McKinley solicited more than $20,000 in cash and marijuana in exchange for his official assistance to a cannabis business owner in connection with the opening of the unnamed business and resolving fees owed by the business owner to the City of Atlantic City.

The charges state that, in one instance, McKinley received a bribe payment for his assistance in getting the cannabis business classified as a “micro” cannabis business instead of a standard cannabis business.

That distinction meant that the business paid a $2,500 annual fee to renew its mercantile license instead of the $25,000 annual fee required for standard cannabis businesses.

The Charges Allege McKinley Ordered An Assault As Payment of One Bribe

In addition to receiving cash and cannabis, in one instance, McKinley didn't want cash or marijuana as payment for the bribe to help the Atlantic City cannabis shop owner.

He wanted someone roughed up.

According to the court charges, in October 2025, McKinley directed the cannabis business owner to assault another person in exchange for McKinley’s official assistance in resolving the fee disputes between the business owner and Atlantic City.

After the assault was carried out, the business owner later showed McKinley what appeared to be a photograph of the injured victim.

The charges against McKinley say he expressed pleasure and assured the cannabis business owner that when it came to the fee disputes with Atlantic City,  “You don’t have to worry about nothing.”

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlantic City Resident Agency and the FBI’s Atlantic City Public Corruption Task Force, both under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The honest services fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The bribery charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

No specific return date has been scheduled yet for McKinley to reappear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King in Camden.