Article Responding To:
Inspector General alleges fraud related to Baltimore Mayor’s now defunct juvenile diversion program
baltimore city money
By: Ryan Dickstein
Posted 11:37 AM, Mar 17, 2026 and last updated 12:07 PM, Mar 17, 2026
BALTIMORE — An ongoing battle over the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) took a new turn on Tuesday.
The Inspector General’s Office (IG) now says fraud has been uncovered related to MONSE’s juvenile diversion program, known as SideStep.
MONSE piloted SideStep between January 2022 and 2024 within the City’s Western District. The program has since ended.
SideStep afforded youth offenders ages 17 or younger with opportunities to avoid entering the criminal justice system.
Those accepted into the program were first-time offenders with no active warrants at the time.
Qualifying charges included misdemeanor offenses like shoplifting, larceny, drug possession, destruction of property, and/or common assault.
SEE ALSO: MONSE didn’t turn over complete exculpatory evidence in timely manner, risking potential prosecutions
To implement SideStep, MONSE enlisted the services of various community-based organizations (CBO’s) to help youth in the program reach their potential.
According to a newly released IG report, at least two of these organizations billed MONSE fraudulent invoices.
“The original invoices showed the actual cost was thousands less than the invoices that CBO 1 had submitted and received payment from MONSE,” the report states. “Evidence supports that CBO 1 altered the original invoices and submitted the altered invoices to receive a larger payment from MONSE.”
As for the second company involved, the IG was only able to validate one of several issued invoices.
“The company stated they had no records to support the other invoices,” the report states. “Further, the company provided information that supports that several of the invoices submitted are fraudulent, which amount to thousands of dollars.”
It’s estimated MONSE paid $694,000 to these organizations, however that number could rise because the IG is accusing the Mayor’s Office of hindering their investigation by redacting hundreds of previously subpoenaed documents, for which the City’s been sued over.
Response:
It’s time to Investigate the State of Maryland, this “can of worms” just keeps getting worse.
From the Moore Administration’ to squandering $5 Billion Dollars in the reserves January 2023 to January 2025 to $3 Billion Dollars in the hole, and the next day gave away a Billion Dollars.
When the Moore Administration was asked in 2025 how much money the State was “Giving to Non Profits” in 2025 and couldn’t answer, then by mid 2025 the Governor’s Chief of Staff and Budget Secretary announced their departure’s from the Administration.
To the claims of Department of Human Services and on the “SNAP Benefits” fraud accusations where last month the Secretary Raphael Lopez resigned.
To reports or Millions of Dollars in Baltimore City that has been given to Non Profits, some of the “not in good standing” one of them tied to the Mayor’s Wife, and “suddenly shutdown”…
To reports out of the Baltimore City Mayor’s office of excessive spending on the purchase cards close to a Million dollars at Ravens Games, Orioles Games, and Crab Fesats. To his the Mayor’s newly purchased vehicle which cost the City over $100 Thousand Dollars.
To the OIG’s office in Baltimore City having to sue the Mayor’s office to get records, now we are seeing why.
There are 2 solutions 1 are investigations , and the other is the Legislature in Annapolis pass legislation to create a “Statewide” OIG’s office.
Something Governor Moore has said “he’s already taken care of” by hiring a Consulting Firm, yeah the same Governor who has hired close to 5 Thousand employees to the State, some of these jobs he made up for people, and in late 2025 said “IDGAF” to criticism he received trying to “Partisan Gerrymander” the States Congressional Map.
With what we have seen with the State of Minnesota and the massive fraud that has been unearthed there. Maryland appears to be on the same path , With our States Top Law Enforcement Official Attorney General Anthony Brown. Who’s main focus , has been to sue the Trump Administration on a weekly basis. A plan he hatched a week after the 2024 November election.
Governor Moore may not give an “F” about any of this, however Federal Investigators might, and so should the voters of Maryland this come November… Is the State of Maryland & the Moore Administration ” Feeling Minnesota?” ……