Former Richmond City Council candidate indicted on election fraud charges

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A former candidate for Richmond City Council is facing several felony charges relating to election fraud.

On Monday, Oct. 6, a grand jury indicted Tavares Floyd on four counts of willfully making materially false statements on his campaign finance reports.

The charges were announced by Richmond's Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin after a grand jury hearing.

McEachin said the charges came after months of speculation by Richmonders and the press. According to court records, the alleged offenses occurred between June and September 2024, while Floyd was campaigning for Richmond City Council. 

Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin announces charges against Tavares Floyd. (Photo: 8News)

Although McEachin did not specify exactly what false statements were allegedly made, each offense date matches up with dates Floyd filed campaign finance reports with the Virginia Board of Elections.

During his run for the 6th district seat, questions were raised about the legitimacy of his campaign finances after he reported receiving more than $100,000 in contributions. The figure was significantly higher than his opponents, including incumbent Ellen Robertson, who ultimately won the race.

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Floyd also previously served as Robertson's liaison and chief of staff. 8News reached out to her for comment on his charges and is waiting to hear back.

According to McEachin, Virginia State Police led the investigation, which took 10 months. She also said each charge is punishable as a Class 5 felony and carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.

"These charges are the result of the product of a diligent investigation by the Virginia State Police, during which they interviewed dozens of individuals, obtained documentary evidence and performed forensic accounting," she said.

8News legal analyst Russ Stone said a case of this nature is rare for local campaigns. 

"Thankfully, we don't see that charge very often," Stone said. "As a society, we want to assume that statements that are made by people [who] are running for office to govern us are going to be honest."

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Stone explained that most criminal offenses at the state level are charged directly on a warrant, followed by a preliminary hearing — but this case is a bit different. 

"The government has skipped over all of that preliminary stuff, after a lengthy investigation," he said. "So what that does tell me is that the government feels very confident in their case."

8News attempted to reach Floyd for comment on the charges, but two phone numbers associated with him have been disconnected.