BALTIMORE, MD — Stephen L. Snyder, a 77-year-old prominent medical malpractice attorney from Baltimore, has been sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, for attempting to extort $25 million from a hospital system.
Snyder was convicted in November 2024 after a nine-day federal jury trial on one count of attempted extortion and seven counts of violating the Travel Act, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced on Wednesday.
Between January and September 2018, Snyder, who represented two medical malpractice claimants in connection with organ transplants at the University of Maryland Medical Center, made a series of threats aimed at the University of Maryland Medical System. According to federal authorities, Snyder demanded $25 million personally, separate from any client settlements, or he would “destroy” the hospital’s transplant department.
The U.S. attorney’s office reported that Snyder sought to disguise this extortion attempt by proposing a fake consulting agreement. He falsely accused the hospital of deceiving patients into accepting diseased organs, threatening to launch a widespread public relations campaign to damage the hospital’s reputation. This campaign would include newspaper ads, press conferences, online ads, and television commercials.
Snyder made these demands during multiple meetings with hospital attorneys throughout 2018. One such meeting, held on August 23, 2018, was recorded by federal law enforcement using hidden cameras, providing crucial evidence for his conviction.
Snyder’s attempts to extort the hospital were aimed at leveraging his position as a well-known attorney in the medical malpractice field, but the scheme was thwarted by federal investigators. His sentencing underscores the serious legal consequences for those who use threats and coercion for personal gain, particularly when targeting institutions that provide critical health services.
As part of his sentence, Snyder will serve three years of probation, six months of which will be under home confinement. He will also face the legal consequences of his actions, which have severely damaged his professional standing.
This case serves as a warning about the consequences of abusing the legal system for personal gain and the importance of maintaining ethical standards in the legal profession.
