A former Baltimore prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, has been convicted of two counts of perjury in relation to the purchase of Florida homes.
The former Baltimore City State's attorney was found guilty after the federal jury in charge of the case reached the verdict on Thursday. They found Mosby guilty of falsely claiming financial hardship during the coronavirus pandemic in order to get money from the city's retirement fund.
Former Baltimore Prosecutor Convicted of Perjury
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron said that they respect the jury's verdict and remain steadfastly committed to their mission of upholding the rule of law, keeping the nation safe, protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and safeguarding public property.
The defendant is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the two perjury counts against her. U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby has not yet scheduled a sentencing hearing.
The former top Baltimore prosecutor initially pleaded guilty to the charges, which accuse her of falsely claiming financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic to withdraw $90,000 from her city's retirement accounts. She is said to have used that money for down payments on two vacation properties in Florida, as per Fox News.
Mosby received her full salary of $247,955.58 in 2020, which was the year that she claimed financial hardship to withdraw money from the retirement accounts. The former Baltimore prosecutor's trial was delayed in February after her entire defense team quit.
As the defendant walked out of a federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, after the verdict, Moscy said that she was "blessed." If she is convicted of making false mortgage applications for the Florida vacation homes, she could face up to 30 years in prison.
Mosby first gained a national profile after she prosecuted Baltimore police officers when Freddie Gray, a Black man, died in police custody in 2015. It was her first year in office and the victim's death led to riots and protests in the city. However, despite Mosby's efforts, none of the law enforcement personnel were convicted.
Purchase of Florida Vacation Homes
The defendant declined to testify before her attorneys rested their case on Wednesday. The indictment against Mosby in 2022 accused her of improperly accessing retirement funds when she claimed that the health crisis harmed a travel-oriented business that she had formed, according to Yahoo News.
Prosecutors have argued that the defendant was not entitled to access the funds under the provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. They argued that her travel-oriented business, Mahogany Elite Enterprises, had no clients or revenue and did not sustain any "adverse financial consequences" from the pandemic.
During closing statements, assistant U.S. attorney Aaron Zelinsky said that telling the truth is paramount especially when it comes to matters of public officials looking to access funds for personal use. He added that they should not allow Mosby to lie and commit perjury to purchase Florida vacation homes.
On the other hand, Mosby's defense team argued that their client did suffer financial hardships when she struggled to grow her business. Her lawyers said that the company was intended to organize "retreats for successful Black women," said the New York Times.
