Baltimore Inspector General Uncovers Potential Fraud in Mayor's Office

Probe finds mishandling of juvenile data and suspicious invoices in youth diversion program

Mar. 18, 2026 at 1:28am

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Baltimore's Inspector General Isabel Cumming reported that her office uncovered possible fraud within the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE), including the exposure of juvenile information and suspicious invoices related to a now-ended youth diversion pilot program. The 48-page report claims MONSE paid out $694,000 in potentially fraudulent invoices and that a MONSE employee sent a diversion table containing personal details of around 701 individuals, many of them juveniles, to a personal email account.

Why it matters

The findings raise serious concerns about mismanagement and potential criminal activity within a city agency tasked with public safety and youth services. The exposure of juvenile records is a major breach of privacy and confidentiality, while the alleged fraud could represent a significant misuse of taxpayer funds intended to help at-risk youth.

The details

The Inspector General's report claims that under the SideStep Pilot Program, MONSE paid out $694,000 in invoices that were found to be fraudulent. Additionally, the report states that a MONSE employee sent a diversion table containing personal information of around 701 individuals, many of them juveniles, to a personal Gmail account. The table included dates of birth and criminal charges from 2018 to 2022. MONSE has acknowledged the data breach and said it supports the referral of the former employee to law enforcement for potential charges.

  • The SideStep Pilot Program ended in 2024.
  • The data breach involving juvenile records occurred between 2018 and September 2022.

The players

Isabel Cumming

Baltimore's Inspector General who uncovered the potential fraud and data breach within MONSE.

Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE)

The city agency that was the subject of the Inspector General's investigation, which is tasked with public safety and youth services.

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What’s next

The Inspector General's office has referred the findings of fraudulent invoices to law enforcement for criminal investigation. MONSE has stated it is conducting an internal audit and has strengthened its management standards in response to the data breach.

The takeaway

This investigation uncovers serious issues of potential fraud and mismanagement within a city agency tasked with public safety and youth services. The exposure of sensitive juvenile records is a major breach of privacy that raises questions about MONSE's data security protocols. Taxpayers deserve accountability for any misuse of funds intended to support at-risk youth programs.