BREAKING: DC Mayor Muriel Boswer under federal corruption investigation for Qatar trip: report

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is reportedly the target of a federal corruption investigation over a trip she took with members of staff that was paid for by Qatar. 

People familiar with the matter told the New York Times that the inquiry is based on potential bribery or campaign finance law violations. The investigation has reportedly been underway for months, and is being handled by the US Attorney’s Office in Washington. 

Bowser’s office said in a written statement, "This was a business trip. DC representatives regularly travel to promote Washington as a destination for investment and growth." The office said that those efforts have brought business to the city. "All proper paperwork for this standard donation is on file."

The probe began after a local news report in April 2025 regarding Bowser and four members of her staff traveling to Dubai in 2023 for a United Nations conference. The mayor’s office said when asked about the trip that it had been paid for by the DC Chamber of Commerce, however, the office later claimed that it had been covered by the US Conference of Mayors. 

It was revealed that the mayors’ group only paid a portion of the cost. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust filed an ethics complaint, which stated that Qatari officials in March sent a letter to the mayor’s office showing that the country had paid over $61,000 for Bowser and her staff to come to Doha just before the UN conference.