Former Maryland resident charged with multi-million-dollar Medicare fraud, Ponzi schemes

BALTIMORE, MD—A South Carolina man faces federal charges in Maryland for allegedly orchestrating multi-million-dollar Medicare fraud and Ponzi schemes, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday. Two indictments unsealed in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore accuse Charleston resident Michael Britton-Harr, 45, of defrauding Medicare and customers of his private charter jet company, according Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of […]

FDA restricts COVID vaccine recommendations to high-risk groups

BALTIMORE, MD—In a surprise move, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will now only recommend COVID-19 vaccines for adults aged 65 and older, as well as individuals at risk of severe illness. This decision marks a significant shift from the current recommendation of annual vaccination for everyone aged six months and older. The FDA stated that manufacturers will now […]

Former Baltimore Department Of Finance employee sentenced To 4 years in connection with bribery, COVID-19 CARES Act scheme

BALTIMORE, MD—A former Baltimore City employee has been sentenced to prison after being sentenced for a bribery and wire fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Joseph Gillespie, 35, of Baltimore City, to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release in connection with a bribery scheme and conspiracy to commit wire fraud scheme involving […]

Rosedale, Belcamp men indicted for unemployment insurance fraud scheme of more than $1 million

BALTIMORE, MD—Two Maryland men have been indicted for allegedly stealing more than $1 million in unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Daiwor Woah-Tee, 51, of Belcamp, and Dekwii Woah-Tee, 46, of Rosedale, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, respectively. The indictment was unsealed when the defendants were arrested on December 18, 2024, and […]

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 […]

Baltimore County opens public art installation honoring lives lost to COVID-19

BALTIMORE, MD—Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski – along with state and local elected officials and community stakeholders – on Tuesday unveiled the COVID-19 Memorial Public Art Project at Lake Roland, a commemoration of the far-reaching impacts of the pandemic that claimed the lives of more than 3,100 County residents. This is the first public art project commissioned by Baltimore County. […]

Baltimore County businessman pleads guilty to fraudulently obtaining over $1.3 million in COVID-19 CARES Act loans

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 City employee admits to bribery, PPP fraud

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 […]