A story straight out of "The Wire"

[vraiblonde]

US prosecutors seek nearly 5-year sentence for former Baltimore Mayor Pugh’s ‘broad range of criminal acts’

Federal prosecutors laid out an array of new details from their investigation into former Baltimore Mayor Catherine E. Pugh in documents filed Thursday, as they argued she should receive nearly fiv…

www.baltimoresun.com

Recap:

She wrote a children's book, self-published it, then used it as a money laundering and bribery scheme with corps and orgs buying large quantities of the book in exchange for contracts with the city. The books were never delivered because, well, nobody wanted them - they just wanted that cushy contract. It was a roundabout way of greasing her palm.

She also had a consignment shop she used to launder campaign contributions. There's some tax evasion involved as well.

 

[limblips]

Just another well run democratically controlled city. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_state_and_local_politicians_convicted_of_crimes)

MARYLAND

• State Delegate Tawanna P. Gaines (D) pleaded guilty to misuse of campaign funds (2020)[99]
• State Delegate Cheryl Glenn (D) convicted of fraud. (2019)[100]
• State Senator Nathaniel T. Oaks (D) was convicted of corruption and sentenced to 3 1/2 years. (2018)[101]
• State Delegate Michael L. Vaughn (D) was convicted of bribery. (2017)[102]
• State Delegate Will Campos (D) was convicted of bribery. (2015)[103]
• State Delegate Tiffany Alston (D) was convicted of embezzlement. (2013)[104]
• State Delegate Don H. Dwyer Jr. (R) was operating a motorboat when it collided with another vessel injuring 5 others. Dwyer pleaded guilty, but appealed his 30-day jail sentence. The sentence was ultimately upheld after another incident in which Dwyer was stopped and arrested for a DUI and received an additional 30-day sentence, for a total of 60 days. (2012)[105][106][107]

Local

• Police Commissioner of Baltimore Darryl De Sousa (D) convicted of tax crimes. (2019)[108]
• Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold (R) convicted of misconduct in office. (2013)[109]
• Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) pleaded guilty to extortion and, witness and evidence tampering.[110] He was sentenced to seven years and three months in Butner federal prison in North Carolina. He was also fined $100,000. (2011)[111]
• Prince George's County Councillor Leslie Johnson (D), was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for political corruption. (2011)[112]
• Mayor of Baltimore Sheila Dixon (D) was convicted of fraudulent misappropriation and was sentenced to four years of probation. (2010)[112]

 

[luvmygdaughters]

How Charming!!!

 

[officeguy]

'The Wire' was a documentary, or probably a set of directions.


Prosecutors said Thursday that Pugh’s “personal inventory" of Healthy Holly books never exceeded 8,216 copies. But through a “three-dimensional” scheme, they say, she was able to resell 132,116 copies for a total of $859,960. She gave another 34,846 copies away.

She modeled that off the old WIC baby formula concentrate scam. Just re-sell the same crate to the government 30 times over and you have a better return than drug dealing. Oh, and you only go to jail for a year and a day.

 

[Monello]

Prosecutors said Thursday that Pugh’s “personal inventory" of Healthy Holly books never exceeded 8,216 copies. But through a “three-dimensional” scheme, they say, she was able to resell 132,116 copies for a total of $859,960. She gave another 34,846 copies away.

Now I see why they were pushing common core math all those years. How else can you make $$$ when you have a ghost inventory but need to show a whole lot of dough getting thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned.