Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was indicted on numerous federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud and tax evasion in an alleged scheme involving the publishing of her children's books, officials announced Wednesday.
Pugh, 69, allegedly defrauded customers of Healthy Holly books, a company she owned, for her own political and personal gain, including funding her mayoral run, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In all, she earned $800,000 for book deals that Maryland's chief accountant called "brazen, cartoonish corruption," according to The Associated Press.
She is also accused of using funds from sales of fraudulently obtained Healthy Holly books to purchase, and then renovate, a house in Baltimore City, according to the statement.