A federal jury has found Marilyn Mosby guilty of two counts of perjury, concluding that she lied about her travel business’s finances to improperly access retirement funds for purchasing two Florida homes.
The former chief prosecutor, who rose to national prominence for charging Baltimore police officers in the Freddie Gray case, now faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each perjury count.
In addition to the perjury charges, Mosby is also confronting federal mortgage fraud charges related to the Florida vacation homes. The trial date for this separate case is pending.
At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mosby allegedly made false certifications, withdrawing a total of $90,000 from Baltimore’s Deferred Compensation Plan, claiming financial harm to her pre-pandemic travel business, Mahogany Elite Enterprises.
Contrary to her assertions, the government revealed that Mosby received her full gross salary in 2020, and she was not entitled to access funds under the CARES Act.
Mosby’s defense argued that her travel business was not operational at the time, lacking clients, income, business cards, or vendors.
Her attorney, James Wyda, contended that Mosby did not defraud the government, asserting that she reasonably believed she qualified for financial relief under the CARES Act.
The prosecutor claimed that Mosby’s primary motivation was to secure down payments for the Florida vacation homes. Following the verdict, Mosby expressed gratitude, stating, “I’m blessed. I have nothing else to say.”
This conviction marks a significant legal setback for Mosby, who lost her Democratic primary for reelection as Baltimore state’s attorney in July 2022.
