Atlantic City Cannabis Czar Charged: Bribes, Directing Assault on Rival Business Owner in Licensing Scheme.
Kashawn McKinley — known locally by his nick name ‘Cannabis Cash’ — serves as Atlantic City Mayor’s Director of Constituent Services. He also sits on the School Board reporting to District Boss LaQuetta Small.
On Thurs, Sept 24, McKinley was charged in federal court with honest services fraud and soliciting bribes, according to a criminal complaint unsealed this week in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
See criminal complaint below.
Prosecutors allege that from early 2023 through March 2026, McKinley used his official position to extract cash and cannabis from a local dispensary owner in exchange for smoothing the business’s path to opening and later resolving fee and tax disputes with the city.
According to the complaint, McKinley told the dispensary owner in 2022 that for $20,000 he could “help” with inspection and licensing issues — explaining the arrangement by saying “we all need to eat.”
Over the following months, the owner paid McKinley $20,000 in cash along with cannabis samples, and the license was subsequently approved.
The complaint’s most serious allegation centers on 2025, when McKinley allegedly offered to reclassify the dispensary — cutting its annual city fees from $25,000 to $2,500 — in exchange for the owner arranging a physical assault on a separate local business owner who had criticized the city administration.
Investigators say the assault was carried out and documented in a photo shown to McKinley, who later accepted additional bribes of $3,000 and $6,000 tied to resolving the dispensary’s tax disputes and a city refund.
He’s also accused of concealing the payments by omitting them from mandatory financial disclosure statements filed with the state in 2023 and 2026, and now faces federal wire fraud and bribery charges.
McKinley at one point tells the dispensary owner, “what I’m doing is illegal.”
Kashawn: one of Mayor Marty Small’s closest confidants.
Hand-picked by Mayor Marty Small for Cannabis Review Board
No bail for this thug. Prosecutors need to go after “city officials” who didn’t like criticism and arranged for the assault most likely a few years ago before the election of this corrupt administration. Next forensic audit license fees for last 2 years.
Plenty of accusations that Small Administration threatens those who disagree. LaQuetta too.
They are accusations but they are published sworn statements that can be discussed on their own. Gentle giant Marty running a thug administration if true.
Honest services law is bull, what we have is plain ol corruption, now mercantile needs to be investigated, threats to critics are RICO mob tactics, entire cannabis industry in AC and licensing a racket to extort money from businesses.
Where are the real indictments? Who are administration officials that wanted Individual 2 assaulted? Individuals 1 and 2 lets get the names.
Paying $29,000 in bribes to evade $25,000 in license fees sounds crazy.
All the people who cozy’d up to Marty what do you have to say now, city is a mess.
Pardon for hit and run, NJ you get what you deserve, DONT AC.
Funny to see ACPO Reynolds get the last laugh unless it is the boyfriend that is on the wire.
I smell a plea bargain in the works,facing 40+ years ,this guy looks like he would drop the soap in the shower on purpose, Big DOG is going down oh my bad the small Dog ,don’t forget 10% for the small dog