The Political Insider By Rusty
Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, a Democrat, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple counts including tax evasion and wire fraud.
The charges stem from a pay-to-play scheme in which she received hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments for a self-published children’s book titled ‘Healthy Holly.’
She reportedly sold copies of the book for $500,000 to the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) while serving on their board.
Additionally, Kaiser Permanente allegedly paid Pugh more than $100,000 for the book as the company was seeking a $48 million contract to insure city employees. Another non-profit company sent $80,000 to Pugh for access as well.
Pugh resigned as mayor in May, shortly after the FBI raided her home. She could be subject to a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted.
Catherine Pugh, former Baltimore mayor who resigned amid investigations into deals to sell her self-published children's books, was charged with fraud and tax evasion. An 11-count federal indictment accuses Pugh of abusing her office for personal gain. https://t.co/pH9pdPzfd9
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 20, 2019