Former state employee from Essex sentenced to jail for felony theft, insurance fraud

BALTIMORE, MD—Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has announced that former state employee Shanell Angelia West, 46, of Essex, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for felony theft and insurance fraud. The charges stemmed from her actions during and after her 18-month employment with the Maryland Department of Labor. Judge Robert E. Cahill, Jr., of the Circuit Court for Baltimore […]

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 […]

Former Maryland state employee pleads guilty to insurance fraud

BALTIMORE, MD—Racquel Britt Davis, a 51-year-old former state employee from Baltimore, pleaded guilty to felony theft charges in a Baltimore County court on Thursday. The charges stem from a scheme involving fraudulent insurance claims that netted her approximately $63,898.33 from American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC). According to Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, Davis submitted 18 fraudulent […]

Maryland men charged in alleged odometer tampering scheme based in Rosedale

BALTIMORE, MD—Federal authorities have charged two Maryland men with conspiracy to commit odometer tampering and securities fraud, alleging they sold hundreds of vehicles with falsely lowered odometers. Jerry John Mathins, 50, of Laurel, and Braysean Owens, 23, of Baltimore, were indicted by a federal grand jury, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland said in a news release. […]

Harford County man posing as home improvement contractor arrested for theft scheme targeting seniors

BEL AIR, MD—A Harford County man is facing charges after allegedly defrauding senior citizens in the area, offering unnecessary home repairs and presenting forged documents to scare them into paying for his services, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. David Anthony Desell, 33, of Bel Air, is charged with 12 criminal counts, including passing forged documents, theft scheme under […]

Baltimore County woman sentenced to prison for fraudulently obtaining, attempting to obtain more than $3 million in COVID-19 CARES Act loans

BALTIMORE, MD—A 47-year-old Baltimore County woman has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds that she used to bankroll a lavish lifestyle that included a Mercedes-Benz and expensive jewelry. Tomeka Glenn, of Windsor Mill, was sentenced Friday to 65 months in prison and three years of supervised […]

Former state employee from Essex pleads guilty to insurance fraud, felony theft

BALTIMORE, MD—A former state employee from Essex has pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and theft charges. Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Thursday announced that Shanell Angelia West, 46, has pleaded guilty in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County in separate cases involving insurance fraud and felony theft. The charges stemmed from her actions during and after her employment with […]

Baltimore County man sentenced after pretending to be paralyzed to receive VA benefits

BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore County man who lied about needing a wheelchair for a service-related injury was sentenced to home confinement after prosecutors said he fraudulently obtained more than $750,000 in disability benefits. William Rich, 44, of Windsor Mill, was found guilty in June of wire fraud and theft of government property following a four-day trial. Rich, who served in the […]