BALTIMORE — Federal authorities on Tuesday offered rewards of up to $20,000 as their search continues for former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s ex-chief of staff, two weeks after he failed to show up in court on corruption charges.
Roy McGrath, 53, was declared a wanted fugitive after his disappearance and on Tuesday the FBI said McGrath was being classified as an international flight risk. The FBI wanted poster lists several aliases for McGrath, including Roy Baisliadou and RC Mak-Grath, and notes that he is a Greek-born US citizen with Florida ties. The FBI and the US Marshals Service are each offering $10,000 for information leading to McGrath’s arrest.
After McGrath failed to show up at the Baltimore federal courthouse on March 13, attorney Joseph Murtha said he believes McGrath, who had moved to Naples, Fla., was planning to fly to Maryland the night before. Instead of beginning jury selection, a judge issued a warrant for McGrath’s arrest and released potential jurors.
“I have no idea. I didn’t see that coming,” Murtha said days later. “This behavior is so unusual for him. Obviously his personal safety is a concern.”
McGrath was indicted in 2021 on federal fraud charges and accused of receiving a $233,648 severance payment, equivalent to one year’s salary, as head of the Maryland Environmental Service. He also faces charges of fraud and embezzlement, which involve expenses of around $170,000. McGrath has pleaded not guilty.
McGrath resigned as Hogan’s chief of staff in 2020, just 11 weeks after the payments became known.
According to federal and prosecutors, McGrath has personally enriched himself by exploiting his positions of trust as director of the Environmental Protection Agency and Hogan’s top adviser. He tricked the agency’s board into approving the payment of a $233,647 severance package — equivalent to one year’s salary — upon his departure as executive director, by falsely telling them the governor had already approved the payment, prosecutors said .
If convicted on the federal charges, McGrath faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of the four counts of wire fraud; and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each of two counts of embezzling funds from an organization that receives more than $10,000 in federal benefits.
Source : www.washingtontimes.com