Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged with perjury, making false mortgage applications
On January 8, 2015, Marilyn J. Mosby was sworn in as the 25th State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, Maryland, making her the youngest chief prosecutor of any major American city at that time. On January 13, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Mosby, now 41, on federal charges of perjury and making false mortgage applications. The charges are linked to her purchases of two vacation homes in Florida.
She will eventually appear in U.S. District Court in Baltimore to face those charges, but her hearing has not yet been scheduled.
On Friday, Mosby held a press conference proclaiming her innocence:
“I am innocent of the charges that have been levied against me and I intend to fight with every ounce in my being,” Mosby said as she read from a prepared statement in downtown Baltimore on Friday. Based on advice from her attorney, she didn’t take questions from reporters. ~ NPR
You can catch Mosby’s press conference here.
According to the four-count indictment, on May 26, 2020 and December 29, 2020, Mosby submitted “457(b) Coronavirus-Related Distribution Requests” for one-time withdrawals of $40,000 and $50,000, respectively, from City of Baltimore’s Deferred Compensation Plans. In each request, the indictment alleges that Mosby falsely certified that she met at least one of the qualifications for a distribution as defined under the CARES Act, specifically, that she experienced adverse financial consequences from the Coronavirus as a result of being quarantined, furloughed, or laid off; having reduced work hours; being unable to work due to lack of childcare; or the closing or reduction of hours of a business she owned or operated. In signing the forms, Mosby “affirm[ed] under penalties for perjury the statements and acknowledgments made in this request.”
The indictment alleges that Mosby did not experience any such financial hardships and in fact, Mosby received her full gross salary of $247,955.58 from January 1, 2020 through December 29, 2020, in bi-weekly gross pay direct deposits of $9,183.54.
Further, the indictment alleges that on July 28, 2020, and September 2, 2020, and on January 14, 2021, and February 19, 2021, Mosby made false statements in applications for a $490,500 mortgage to purchase a home in Kissimmee, Florida and for a $428,400 mortgage to purchase a condominium in Long Boat Key, Florida. As part of both applications, Mosby was required to disclose her liabilities. Mosby did not disclose on either application that she had unpaid federal taxes from a number of previous years and that on March 3, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had placed a lien against all property and rights to property belonging to Mosby and her husband in the amount of $45,022, the amount of unpaid taxes Mosby and her husband owed the IRS as of that date.
In each application, Mosby also responded “no” in response to the question, “Are you presently delinquent or in default on any Federal debt or any other loan, mortgage, financial obligation, bond, or loan guarantee,” even though she was delinquent in paying federal taxes to the IRS.
Finally, according to the indictment, one week prior to closing on the Kissimmee vacation home, on or about August 25, 2020, Mosby executed an agreement with a vacation home management company giving the management company control over the rental of the property she ultimately purchased in Kissimmee.
On September 2, 2020, she signed a “second home rider” which provided, among other things, that the borrower occupy and use the property as their second home; that the borrower maintain exclusive control over the ownership of the property, including short-term rentals, and not subject the property to any … agreement that requires the borrower either to rent the property or give a management firm or any other person or entity any control over the occupancy or use of the property; and that the borrower keep the property available primarily as a residence for their personal use and enjoyment for at least one year, unless the lender otherwise agrees in writing.
The indictment alleges that by falsely executing the “second home rider” Mosby could obtain a lower interest rate on the mortgage for the property than she would have received without it.
Marilyn Mosby became a household name when, in her role as Baltimore State’s Attorney, she charged six Baltimore City Police Officers in the death of Freddie Gray who lost his life while in police custody back in 2015. She is married to Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby who stands steadfast beside his wife.
“We will fight these charges vigorously, and I remain confident that once all the evidence is presented, that she will prevail against these bogus charges — charges that are rooted in personal, political and racial animus five months from her election,” said A. Scott Bolden, Mosby’s attorney, in a statement Thursday night. ~ NBC News
If convicted, Mosby faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of two counts of perjury and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for each of two counts of making false mortgage applications. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland) / (Cover Photo, Image credit: YouTube)
~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
