Joseph Gillespie, 35, a former official in Baltimore City’s Department of Finance, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for accepting over $250,000 in bribes and fraudulently obtaining more than $138,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.
From 2016 to 2023, Gillespie operated a scheme in which he accepted payments from property owners to remove or delay financial obligations, including citations, taxes, and water bills. He marked unpaid obligations as paid in the city’s records, causing a total loss of over $1.25 million.
FBI recordings captured Gillespie discussing his ability to erase debts in exchange for bribes. In one conversation, he explained how he could have overdue water bills removed for a payment.
Additionally, Gillespie, along with co-defendant Ahmed “Adam” Sary, submitted a false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application in 2021, claiming his business, JAG Investments, had 19 employees and a payroll of over $55,000. The fraudulent application resulted in a $138,000 loan, with $38,000 in kickbacks promised to Sary.
