Marilyn Mosby: Federal Mortgage Fraud Dismissal Finalized

• The federal mortgage fraud charge against former Baltimore state's attorney Marilyn Mosby has been dismissed.
• Mosby was initially convicted by a federal jury in 2024 for submitting a false mortgage application for a Florida home.
• The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the conviction in 2025, ruling the case should have been tried in Florida due to jurisdictional issues.
• The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal, and the Maryland U.S. attorney’s office confirmed it would not retry Mosby.
• Mosby, who previously served a year of home confinement, will be allowed to keep her Florida property.

This development underscores the critical importance of jurisdictional precision in federal criminal prosecutions, as procedural missteps can ultimately lead to the vacating of convictions and the subsequent dismissal of charges.

Marilyn Mosby, who previously served as Baltimore's state's attorney, has seen a federal mortgage fraud charge against her officially dismissed. This development follows a complex legal journey that began with her initial conviction by a federal jury in 2024. The conviction stemmed from allegations that she submitted a false mortgage application for a property located in Florida.

Prior to this dismissal, Mosby had also faced a separate conviction for perjury in 2023. That conviction was related to her withdrawal of funds from the city’s deferred compensation plan. Following her mortgage fraud conviction, she was sentenced to three years of supervised release, a portion of which included a year of home confinement. Despite these legal challenges, the recent decision means the federal government will not pursue a retrial on the mortgage fraud charge.

The path to the Marilyn Mosby mortgage fraud dismissal was significantly shaped by a ruling from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2025, the appellate court, based in Richmond, Virginia, vacated the mortgage fraud conviction. The core of their decision rested on a jurisdictional flaw, asserting that the case should have been tried in Florida, where the property and alleged false application originated, rather than in Maryland.

This critical finding by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the Mosby case highlighted the importance of proper venue in federal criminal proceedings. Subsequently, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal on the matter earlier this month, effectively upholding the appellate court's decision. With the higher court's refusal to intervene, the Maryland U.S. attorney’s office confirmed it would not retry the former Baltimore state's attorney on the federal mortgage fraud charges.

The dismissal of the federal mortgage fraud charge carries significant implications for Marilyn Mosby, including the outcome that she will be permitted to retain ownership of her Florida home. In a statement released following the decision, Mosby expressed gratitude to her legal team, remarking, "Despite the attempts to discredit me and dismantle my career, I am still standing. I am deeply grateful to my attorneys for their unwavering advocacy, dedication and commitment to fighting for justice on my behalf."

This development underscores the critical importance of jurisdictional precision in federal criminal prosecutions, as procedural missteps can ultimately lead to the vacating of convictions and the subsequent dismissal of charges. It also illustrates the discretion afforded to prosecutors in deciding whether to pursue a retrial, even after an appellate court has identified errors in the initial proceedings. The resolution of these federal charges against the former Baltimore state's attorney fraud case serves as a notable example of how appellate review can reshape the finality of a conviction.

This development highlights the critical importance of scrutinizing jurisdictional grounds in federal criminal cases, as procedural errors can lead to the vacating of convictions and subsequent dismissal of charges. Lawyers should note the discretion of prosecutors in deciding against retrial even after appellate success.

Source: Original reporting via Baltimore Sun, CBS News, and Stephanie Francis Ward.