MARYLAND NEWS

According to court documents, beginning in 2020, and continuing into November 2023, a 4-year-old Bladensburg man conspired with multiple individuals to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud in connection with Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the conspiracy. Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md

The ruling comes on the heels of an earlier decision by Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Pamela J. White that denied the city’s motion to disqualify the inspector general’s outside counsel.. The judge wrote that “conflicts of interest” may arise between the interests of MONSE and the IG, “thus preventing the city solicitor’s professionally independent and diligent representation of each unit” as required under the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct. Source: https://baltimorebrew.com 

Charged with Unfair, Abusive, and Deceptive Trade Practices and Making Illegal and Usurious Loans to Maryland Homeowners Through Predatory “Homeowner Benefit Agreements”. Source: https://oag.maryland.gov

The County Council approved a bill in 2024 giving the inspector “the right to obtain full and unrestricted access to all records and files.”

County attorneys advised on May 13 in an internal memo obtained by the Baltimore Banner inspectors are still subject to federal and state law…(C)ounty attorneys cited a ruling made 25 years ago…Madigan, who is a former state prosecutor, disputes the county’s interpretation. Source: Baltimore Banner

In 2018, then-mayor Catherine Pugh named Isabel Cummings as Baltimore’s inspector general. Eight years later, under a new mayor, there is too much tension between the mayor’s office and the inspector general, who is trying to do her job on behalf of the people of Baltimore.  Source: Editorial Advisory Board, Maryland Daily Record

According to court documents, the former postal employee in the Baltimore area used his postal service position to embezzle mail, including checks. Stewart then falsely and fraudulently endorsed stolen checks with the identity theft victims’ names and signatures. During the search, law enforcement recovered almost 200 pieces of mail containing more than $700,000. Source: US Attorney, District of Maryland

Baltimore City leaders are grappling with the findings of a new audit that revealed millions of dollars in unpaid bills from customers and contracted businesses in 2023 and 2024...City Auditor Jason Pasch outlined glaring errors in the Department of Finance's invoices and a backlog of unpaid leases, utilities, and conduit payments totaling over $4 million. Source: Source: wbaltv.com 

Baltimore paid more than a dozen government employees more than $300,000 while on "permission" leave or after they departed their roles, a new investigation by the city's Inspector General shows. ..Isabel Mercedes Cumming's report reveals that approximately half of the total payments were made to employees of the mayor's office.  Source: cbsnews.com

Anouncement comes as a Wall Street Journal article describes “taxpayer outrage” over mayoral spending and his battle with Baltimore’s watchdog over access to City Hall records. Source: Baltimore Brew and the Mayor’s press statement, “Proposed Legislative Actions Provide Roadmap to Address OIG Access Concerns, Strengthen Baltimore's Oversight Structure.”

The mayor and city’s watchdog are locked in battle over access to City Hall internal records. A report cited baby showers, crab cakes and skyboxes. Source: Wall Street Journal