Fallston settlement processor pleads guilty to making false statements

BALTIMORE, MD—A Maryland settlement processor has pleaded guilty to making false statements to financial institutions in connection with real-estate settlements, authorities say. Rebecca Marie Cohn, 38, of Fallston, worked as a settlement and title processor for Residential Title & Escrow Company in Owings Mills from 2013 to 2019. In her role, Cohn created, reviewed, and submitted HUD-1 Settlement Statements to […]

Former Maryland State Trooper pleads guilty to drug, bribery charges

BALTIMORE, MD—A former Maryland State Trooper pleaded guilty to federal drug and bribery charges after trying to sell information to a drug trafficking organization, federal authorities announced. Justin Riggs, 35, of Smithsburg, conspired to sell information to a drug trafficking organization, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland reports. Riggs pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to […]

Former Baltimore Department Of Finance employee sentenced To 4 years in connection with bribery, COVID-19 CARES Act scheme

BALTIMORE, MD—A former Baltimore City employee has been sentenced to prison after being sentenced for a bribery and wire fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Joseph Gillespie, 35, of Baltimore City, to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release in connection with a bribery scheme and conspiracy to commit wire fraud scheme involving […]

Russian cybercrime group behind $16M Phobos ransomware attacks busted

BALTIMORE, MD—The US Department of Justice announced the unsealing of criminal charges against two Russian nationals, Roman Berezhnoy, 33, and Egor Nikolaevich Glebov, 39, this week. They are accused of operating a cybercrime group that used Phobos ransomware to attack over 1,000 organizations worldwide, earning more than $16 million in ransom payments. Berezhnoy and Glebov are alleged to have been […]

Two biotech CEOs convicted in fraud scheme involving COVID-19 drug

BALTIMORE, MD—Two CEOs were convicted by a federal jury in Maryland for a scheme to defraud investors about a drug being developed to treat HIV and COVID-19, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Nader Pourhassan, 61, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Kazem Kazempour, 71, of Potomac, Maryland, were found guilty of the scheme involving CytoDyn Inc., a publicly traded […]

U.S. Army research biologist from Maryland sentenced To 51 months in prison for engaging in APG bribery scheme

BALTIMORE, MD—A U.S. Army biologist from Maryland will be spending time behind bars for participating in a bribery scheme. Jason Edmonds, 45 of North East, was sentenced this week to 51 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to commit bribery at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. In addition, the Court ordered Edmonds to forfeit $111,794.83, […]

Chinese money laundering ring busted in Baltimore area, 17 Charged

BALTIMORE, MD—Federal agents have charged 17 people in Maryland and other states for their alleged roles in a complex money laundering scheme and illegal marijuana distribution network that led to the seizure of more than $6 million and 2,000 pounds of marijuana. The Department of Justice announced this week that a Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security investigation […]

Maryland man charged in $1 million unemployment benefits fraud scheme

BALTIMORE, MD—A federal grand jury charged a Maryland man with conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1 million in unemployment benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland. Mervyn Fombe Abiko, 35, also known as “Magic,” was indicted on May 22, 2024. The indictment was unsealed upon […]