MARYLAND NEWS

State Highway Administration officials “knowingly charged” nearly $360 million in unauthorized expenses to federal fund projects in an attempt to hide a deficit in the state’s Transportation Trust Fund, according to a report released Thursday by the Office of Legislative Audits.

The audit disclosed SHA routinely charged expenses to federal fund projects not authorized by the federal granting agency. According to the audit report, "More concerning is that the amount of unauthorized spending increased by 3,523 percent including an additional $163.5 million between June 2024 and August 2025. SHA also was unable to provide documentation to support the propriety of accrued federal fund revenue entries totaling $449 million (which would include the aforementioned unauthorized expenses) or the subsequent recovery of the funds."

Source: Maryland Matters.com and Maryland OLA.

 

According to police, the woman was granted power of attorney for her grandfather. Source: patch.com

The owner of a Baltimore County pet crematorium has been charged after allegedly scamming pet owners by giving them sand or concrete instead of their pets' ashes. Source: CBSNews.com

Isabel Mercedes Cumming reviews how an unknown perpetrator deceived city employees. Some of the money was recovered thanks to an alert bank. Source: BaltimoreBrew.com

Source: cbsnews.com

He's charged with embezzling $6K. Source: CapitalGazettee.com

Federal officials are investigating a former Maryland PTA president for allegedly embezzling over $900,000 to live a lavish coast-to-coast lifestyle that included luxury trips, gambling benders, and Voodoo sex spells. Source: BaltimoreSun.com

The Baltimore County Council on Monday voted against Khadija Walker as the county's next inspector general after her nomination sparked public debate and scrutiny. Afterward the County Executive said, “I intend to leave any future appointment—or reappointment—of an inspector general to the next county executive or until an independent appointment board is established by the county council and voters." Source:CBSNews.com/Baltimore and Baltimore County Government

"Their assumed identities on college applications might appear normal to the naked eye: high school graduation, extracurricular activities, addresses. But these students differ from their peers competing for spots at local community colleges across Maryland and the country in one key way — they don’t actually exist. Ghost  or "spam" students often use stolen i.d.s to  apply for financial aid.

A spokesperson for the University System of Maryland said they are not aware of this happening at their institutions. There are examples of community colleges in Maryland taking efforts to combat such frauds. Source: Baltimore Sun

Baltimore County does not require an inspector general to live in the jurisdiction where they work. But knowing its laws and politics is essential to becoming an effective IG, says Baltimore City’s inspector general, Isabel Mercedes Cumming. Source: BaltimoreBrew.com