Baltimore Mayor Says City Was Victim of Fraud in MONSE Program

Inspector General report finds unverifiable payments in Mayor's Office of Neighborhood and Safety Engagement's SideStep pilot program.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 12:05am

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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott responded to a report from the city's Inspector General that found fraudulent payments involving the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood and Safety Engagement's (MONSE) SideStep pilot program. Scott said MONSE and the city were victims of the fraud, and noted that the SideStep program no longer exists. The report found nearly $700,000 in invoices were issued to a group, but only one could be verified as legitimate.

Why it matters

The findings of fraud and unverifiable payments in a city program overseen by the mayor's office raise concerns about financial accountability and oversight within the local government. As the city works to address issues of public safety and community engagement, this report could undermine trust in the mayor's initiatives if the full details are not made transparent.

The details

The Inspector General's report found that several thousand dollars in invoices for the MONSE SideStep program were fraudulent, out of nearly $700,000 total. Mayor Scott said the Inspector General has not provided the name of the organization that received the questionable payments, but he assured the city would pursue legal action if that information was made available.

  • The Inspector General's report was released on March 18, 2026.

The players

Mayor Brandon Scott

The mayor of Baltimore who responded to the Inspector General's report, stating that MONSE and the city were victims of the fraud found in the SideStep program.

Isabel Cumming

The Inspector General of Baltimore who released the report finding fraudulent payments in the MONSE SideStep program.

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

The city agency whose SideStep pilot program was the subject of the Inspector General's fraud investigation.

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What they’re saying

“If we had that information I could assure you that the city solicitor who is standing behind would be going after those people.”

— Mayor Brandon Scott

“To be very clear, these 200 + financial records are STILL redacted. Yet OIG was able to find several instances of fraud in the few documents provided. MONSE & LAW have the unredacted documents not OIG- this is why Oversight is needed.”

— Isabel Cumming, Inspector General

What’s next

The city solicitor is expected to pursue legal action against the organization that received the fraudulent payments once the Inspector General provides their name.

The takeaway

This report highlights the importance of financial oversight and accountability within city government programs, especially those focused on public safety and community engagement. Moving forward, the mayor and Inspector General will need to work together to ensure full transparency and prevent any future misuse of taxpayer funds.