Baltimore Prosecutor Charged With Perjury and Filing False Loan Applications

Marilyn Mosby, Baltimore’s apical prosecutor, was indicted Thursday connected charges that she perjured herself to get wealth from a status money and made mendacious statements connected indebtedness applications to bargain 2 abrogation homes successful Florida.

The charges against Ms. Mosby, 41, who was archetypal elected state’s lawyer successful 2014 and drew nationalist attraction the pursuing twelvemonth for her handling of the decease of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black antheral who died successful constabulary custody, came aft a monthslong probe by national authorities.

Ms. Mosby filed 2 requests successful 2020 to retreat astir $90,000 from her metropolis status account, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office successful Maryland.

She faces 2 counts of perjury for those requests, which were made done the CARES Act, due to the fact that she claimed that the pandemic had caused her fiscal difficulties. But astatine the time, she was afloat employed and making astir $250,000 a year, according to the indictment.

“Rather than experiencing a simplification successful income successful 2020, Mosby’s gross wage successful 2020 increased,” the indictment said, noting that she had received a rise of astir $10,000 from the twelvemonth before.

She besides faces 2 counts of making mendacious statements connected a indebtedness exertion for 2 abrogation homes successful Florida, prosecutors said.

Ms. Mosby utilized the wealth she had withdrawn for down payments connected the homes, according to the indictment. She did not disclose connected her owe applications that she owed much than $45,000 successful taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. In March 2020, the I.R.S. placed a lien connected each the properties belonging to Ms. Mosby. The lien besides applied to her husband, Nick Mosby, president of the Baltimore City Council. He is not charged successful the case.

Prosecutors said that Ms. Mosby besides did not uncover her taxation troubles successful an statement she had signed with a absorption institution to rent retired 1 of the abrogation homes. That way, they said, she could get a little involvement complaint connected her mortgage.

The mortgages amounted to much than $900,000 for some homes — which were successful Kissimmee and Longboat Key — according to the indictment. She was listed arsenic the sole proprietor of some homes. In November, she sold the Kissimmee property, an eight-bedroom home, according to spot records.

If convicted, Ms. Mosby would look a maximum condemnation of 5 years successful situation connected each of the perjury counts and 30 years connected each of the charges of making mendacious indebtedness applications.

A. Scott Bolden, Ms. Mosby’s lawyer, vigorously denied the charges against his lawsuit and labeled them “bogus.”

In an interrogation connected Thursday night, helium said that the probe was portion of a “historical onslaught connected Black pistillate prosecutors.” Ms. Mosby had nary plans to measurement down from her position, helium added.

Mr. Bolden said that Ms. Mosby contended that she had fiscal hardship due to the fact that she owned a question start-up, and that she did not disclose the taxation lien connected her properties due to the fact that she did not cognize astir it. He said that Ms. Mosby’s hubby handled the couple’s taxes.

Mr. Mosby did not respond to emails connected Thursday night.

When Ms. Mosby became state’s lawyer for Baltimore City successful 2015, she was 34 years old, the youngest apical authoritative of immoderate large American city.

Three months into her term, Freddie Gray died successful constabulary custody aft sustaining a spinal cord injury. Video footage showed officers carrying his limp assemblage into a constabulary van. His decease fueled protests against excessive unit and amplified consciousness of constabulary killings of Black people. Riots broke out, and constabulary cars were acceptable connected fire. The metropolis was placed nether curfew.

Two weeks aft Mr. Gray’s death, Ms. Mosby announced she would prosecute six officers. They were charged with crimes including manslaughter and murder. This determination was contested, with critics stating that she moved excessively hastily successful what was inevitably an uphill battle.

Three officers were acquitted by a judge, who said determination was insufficient evidence. Then, Ms. Mosby dropped remaining charges against 3 constabulary officers, different divisive decision.

Still, successful 2018, Ms. Mosby handily won different four-year term, which expires this year. At slightest 2 candidates person announced they volition situation her successful this summer’s Democratic primary. They expressed interest connected societal media connected Thursday astir Ms. Mosby’s alleged actions.

Ms. Mosby and Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland person repeatedly clashed implicit the due attack to addressing unit successful Baltimore.

In a Fox News appearance past month, Mr. Hogan blamed Ms. Mosby and her refusal to prosecute convulsive transgression arsenic a “big portion of the problem” of escalating violence. Ms. Mosby responded with an unfastened missive accusing Mr. Hogan of issuing “incessant dog-whistling attacks astir Baltimore crime” and stoking fears to “score governmental points with your blimpish base.”

Sheelagh McNeill contributed research.