Maryland state Senator Dalya Attar, a Democrat, was indicted on federal extortion and conspiracy charges for allegedly using hidden cameras to record a former political consultant having an affair. Attar threatened to release the video to silence critics of her campaigns, authorities said.
Attar, a Baltimore Democrat and former prosecutor, was charged along with her brother Joseph Attar and Baltimore police officer Kalman Finkelstein in an eight-count federal indictment unsealed Thursday. The three allegedly planted recording devices disguised as smoke detectors to videotape the consultant in bed with a married man.
The consultant worked as a paid political operative for Attar’s 2018 campaign for the Maryland House of Delegates.
“Shortly before the election, Victim 1’s involvement with Dalya Attar’s campaign was discontinued after a disagreement,” the indictment states.
Federal prosecutors allege the conspiracy began in January 2020 when the consultant stayed in an apartment belonging to a relative of Finkelstein. Joseph Attar and Finkelstein allegedly broke into the unit while the consultant was away and installed cameras hidden inside smoke detectors. The men also allegedly planted a tracking device on the consultant’s car.
The defendants used the hidden cameras to videotape a sexual encounter between the consultant and her married paramour in January 2020, according to the indictment.
“It was the purpose of the conspiracy that the co-conspirators sought to surreptitiously obtain evidence of the relationship between Victims 1 and 2 so that the evidence could be used to prevent Victim 1 from (i) engaging in any act or speech that could negatively impact the election campaign or political aspirations of Dalya Attar; (ii) performing any work for any other candidates for office who would challenge Dalya Attar; and (iii) otherwise taking any action that could negatively influence Dalya Attar’s election campaigns, including the 2022 Maryland House of Delegates election,” the indictment alleges.
Later in 2021, Joseph Attar allegedly met with the married man and delivered a message for the consultant.
“Leave Dalya alone,” Joseph Attar said, according to the indictment. “Don’t bring her up anymore to anyone. Stay out of this election, the Delegate election. And make sure she doesn’t do anything against Dalya throughout this election.”
Dalya Attar sent a series of WhatsApp messages to a co-conspirator in January 2020 saying the consultant “is still looking to screw me badly,” according to the indictment.
Attar feared the consultant would release information to the Orthodox Jewish community about her voting record, authorities said.
After the consultant posted on Facebook in 2022 criticizing Attar, Joseph Attar contacted her and threatened to release the video. He allegedly threatened to “share this video with everybody you know, everyone she knows, every Rabbi in town, your kids, your wife, her daughters” if the consultant did not remain silent.
Attar faces multiple counts of conspiracy, extortion via interstate communications, aiding and abetting, and interception and disclosure of wire communications. Joseph Attar and Finkelstein face similar charges.
Attar was appointed to the seat in January by Governor Wes Moore after Democrat Jill Carter was appointed to the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals. Attar previously served six years in the Maryland House of Delegates representing parts of Baltimore City.
Attar released a statement following her arrest.
“I ran for public office because of my strong belief in serving my community that I love, and I would never do anything to knowingly jeopardize my constituents’ trust in me,” Attar said.
Attar is currently in a competitive Democratic primary race with state Delegate Malcolm P. Ruff, a civil rights attorney, for a full term in the Maryland Senate.
The indictment was originally filed under seal last week and became public Thursday after a court motion revealed the charges.
Maryland State Senator Dalya Attar Arrested on Federal Charges
Baltimore City State Senator Dalya Attar has been arrested and indicted on federal extortion and conspiracy charges, according to court documents obtained by FOX45 News.
Attar, a Democrat representing Baltimore’s… pic.twitter.com/wKVt2E3c9Z
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