Commissioner Ford Jr. Indicted, Surrenders to Authorities

Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. has been indicted by a federal grand jury and turned himself into federal authorities on Friday. The charges are suspected to be linked to a $450,000 county grant he pushed through for the nonprofit Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South Inc., which purchased computers from Ford's business. An FBI search warrant was executed at Ford's home in May 2023 as part of the investigation, but the specific charges remain undisclosed as federal court records have not yet been updated. Ford Jr. was previously accused of ethics violations for failing to disclose his business interests when advocating for the grant. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris emphasized the presumption of innocence and the need for ethical reforms within the county government. Junior Achievement of Memphis has stated its cooperation with the authorities.