Antwann Richardson, who was acquitted of federal fraud charges alongside Jabari Edwards in April 2024, is now suing the federal government, alleging a federal agent fabricated evidence and misrepresented information to pursue charges against him and others – a case now set for a five-day bench trial in January 2028.

The agent, Richardson claims, did so in an effort to build a corruption case against former Columbus Mayor Robert Smith that never materialized.

The complaint mirrors one filed by Edwards in January 2025. Edwards’ case is currently pending a decision on the government’s motion to dismiss.

Both Richardson and Edwards were indicted in 2022 for fraudulently using pandemic relief money acquired for two of Edwards’ companies under the J5 Solutions umbrella. Both were acquitted of 17 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements after a two-week jury trial.

In his own complaint, Richardson, who was president of J5 Solutions when it was operating, alleges Richard Vignogna, an agent with the Office of the Special Investigator General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, targeted him and Edwards with the goal of leveraging guilty pleas and gathering information against Smith.

The complaint alleges that was the actual purpose Vignogna came to Columbus with in 2020 when he claimed to be investigating the city’s blight program.

A civil complaint represents only one side of a legal argument, though in a response filed in June to Edwards’ suit, the federal government denied nearly all allegations outlined by Richardson.

The complaint accuses Vignogna of harboring a “preternatural obsession” that Smith was corrupt and alleges the agent used the investigation and federal resources to pursue a baseless case against.

In July 2021, the complaint said Vignogna obtained grand jury subpoenas for all of Edwards’ personal and business bank accounts, including for the J5 Solutions corporate entities, by making materially false representations and reports regarding the blight program and alleged criminal acts by Smith, Edwards and Richardson.

“These materially false representations were made to the grand jury, to federal prosecutors, and to others, for the purpose of procuring a search warrant without probable cause into all of Mr. Edwards’ businesses in order to initiate a baseless prosecution,” the complaint said.

The complaint further alleges Vignogna left material statements out of memoranda of investigative activity, including threats he leveled at witnesses and defamatory statements he made regarding Edwards and Richardson.

Once Richardson and Edwards were indicted, the complaint alleges Vignogna continued to pressure Richardson to cooperate with the government in its investigation into Smith, threatening additional charges if he refused. Richardson did refuse, the complaint said.

“Agent Vignogna then admitted his animus by engaging in a political rant by condemning Mayor Smith and the Blight Program and stating that Mayor Smith had ruined Columbus, ruined the police department, allowed crime, and caused people to leave the city,” the complaint said. “Agent Vignogna also stated that he was going to get Robert Smith and did not care how long it takes.”

In the complaint, Richardson is asking to receive compensatory damages for alleged abuse of process and malicious prosecution on the side of the federal government. The trial, set specifically for Jan. 24, 2028, is expected to last five days.

McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.