Former Baltimore mayor sentenced to 3 years in book scheme

The AP ^ | February 27, 2020 | By REGINA GARCIA

[Oldeconomybuyer]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The disgraced former mayor of Baltimore was sentenced to three years in federal prison Thursday for arranging fraudulent sales of her self-published children’s books to nonprofits and foundations to promote her political career and fund her run for the city’s highest office.

The scandal has shaken Maryland’s largest city, which for years has struggled with grinding poverty, political mismanagement, record crime rates and police abuses that led to massive riots. And it made a mockery of Catherine Pugh’s inaugural promise to restore trust in Baltimore’s leaders.

Pugh was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release after getting out of prison and ordered to pay more than $411,000 in restitution. The veteran Democratic politician pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy and tax evasion charges in November.

She was elected mayor in 2016 and resigned under pressure in May as authorities investigated bulk sales of her “Healthy Holly” paperbacks, which netted her hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Federal authorities accused Pugh, 69, of double selling the books, keeping many for self-promotion purposes and failing to deliver them to institutions they were purchased for, including the Baltimore City Public Schools. Pugh used the proceeds to fund straw donations to her mayoral campaign and buy a new house.

[1Old Pro]

This stuff is so predicable

[blam]

What a big surprise.

This is a Black, Female, Democrat that may actually go to prison?

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Two things won’t happen: the payback of the $400K and the supervised three years after prison.

[blueyon]

wait, see if I have this correct..Stone gets 40 months for “a lie” and she gets 36 months for fraud? wow

[goodnesswins]

I guess she didn’t follow the Dems usual book sale practices...???

[from occupied ga]

Black, Female, Democrat that may actually go to prison?

Probably not. I saw the phrase "supervised release" in the article

[cgbg]

It seemed like a good scam at the time—Baltimore—I mean, what could go wrong? ;-)

[1Old Pro]

It seemed like a good scam at the time—Baltimore—I mean, what could go wrong? ;-)

Politicians should get "extra" time for abusing their offices, just lie using a gun in a commission of a crime gets more punishment.

[Sarah Barracuda]

A Democrat, going to JAIL..gotta go outside and see if I see any pigs flying..oh and AP, you can put in the headline that she is a Dem, its OK you wont self destruct

[cgbg]

How about triple damages if the crime is committed in a heavily minority urban center?

Think of it as a hate crime on steroids.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Gee, in addition to the other massive problems of Baltimore, they also have crooked Democrat politicians??? What is this world coming to?

[WKUHilltopper]

Probably just racist stuff.

[COBOL2Java]

Pugh signs how much she'll actually be punished for her crimes

[UNGN]

"you can smell the rats"

She's got that right.

[PGalt]

Criminality and ‘rats. They are the infectious diseases of the republic.

[JohnBrowdie]

the fact that the mayor of baltimore was committing felonies while in office is hardly newsworthy.

[Secret Agent Man]

Happily surprised she actually got 3 years in a federal pen, plus paying back money/assets seized.

[ratzoe]

Cool, she will have time to write lots of new Healthy Holly books.

Healthy Holly's Guide to Shanks..etc..

[Steve Van Doorn]

Dreams from My Father and 2006’s The Audacity of Hope, have sold roughly 4.7 million print copies which should've taken in about $1.40 per book(at best) or about $6.5 million. Penguin Random House bought the two books for $65 million which is the highest any book has ever been sold.