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, 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 […]
BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Tuesday announced a $27 million settlement with Precision Toxicology, resolving allegations of fraudulent billing and kickbacks. The settlement stems from a multi-state investigation into the San Diego-based laboratory, one of the nation’s largest urine drug testing companies. The allegations, brought by Maryland, other states, and the federal government, claimed that Precision billed […]
BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore County businessman has admitted to using more than $1.3 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans to purchase a Mercedes-Benz and make extensive home renovations, federal authorities announced. David Epstein, 46, of Owings Mills, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud after submitting fraudulent CARES Act loan applications, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland. The […]
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 […]
BALTIMORE, MD—A Maryland man has been sentenced to prison for selling more than $1.6 million worth of fake nursing diplomas, transcripts and licenses, that allowed people to become nurses without completing the necessary coursework. Ejike Sìe Asiaghunam, 55. of Upper Marlboro, was sentenced in federal court in Maryland on Monday to 21 months in prison and two years of supervised […]
BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland State Police Financial Crimes Unit is warning the public about an internet scam targeting Gmail accounts. This scam has been seen in August and September, and police say it can be very dangerous for victims. The scammer sends an email to a potential victim’s Gmail account with a picture of their home from Google Maps. The scammer […]
BALTIMORE, MD—A former Baltimore City employee has admitted to taking bribes and defrauding the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Joseph Gillespie, 35, of Baltimore, was found to have stolen more than $250,000 in bribes and received more than $138,000 in fraudulent PPP loans. Gillespie pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery. He worked for the […]