TLDR Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas, who calls herself the “Casino Queen,” has been indicted on federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Prosecutors say two CBD stores linked to Lucas sold unlicensed marijuana and laundered the money. The alleged enterprise earned about $4.5 million over five years, according to the Justice Department. Lucas faces five counts and could face decades in prison if convicted on all of them. Lucas denies wrongdoing and calls the case politically and racially motivated.
Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas has been indicted on federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges. The Portsmouth Democrat calls herself the state’s “Casino Queen.”
Lucas, 82, is president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate. She also chairs the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.
In 2020, she led legislation that allowed commercial casinos in certain Virginia cities. The law permitted slot machines and table games, including in her hometown of Portsmouth.
The Department of Justice now alleges that Lucas led a criminal enterprise in recent years. Prosecutors say she worked with family members and associates in a racketeering conspiracy tied to marijuana sales.
What Prosecutors Allege
FBI Director Kash Patel said the group used Lucas’s committee role to protect the business. He said this shielded the operation from criminal scrutiny and influenced legislation for the group’s own financial gain.
The indictment says the enterprise brought in about $4.5 million over five years.
Two businesses are named in the case. They are The Cannabis Outlet in Portsmouth and The CBD Shoppe in Norfolk.
Federal authorities have indicted Virginia Democratic state senator L. Louise Lucas and several family members and associates on charges stemming from a yearslong marijuana trafficking conspiracy and corruption probe, according to the Justice Department. https://t.co/PBodpUqK8L
— ABC News (@ABC) October 22, 2026