BALTIMORE — A federal grand jury has indicted Maryland Senator Dalya Attar [D-Baltimore City] and two men on charges alleging they conspired to secretly record an explicit affair of a former campaign consultant and threaten her to protect Attar’s political standing during the 2022 House of Delegates race, according to a filing in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland and FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge, William J. DelBagno.
The 20-page indictment, returned October 23, names Attar, her brother Joseph H. Attar, and Kalman G. Finkelstein, a former Baltimore police officer, as defendants. Prosecutors allege the three used WhatsApp, covert recording devices disguised as smoke detectors, and a tracking device to obtain and maintain compromising audio and video, then threatened to publicize it unless their demands were met.
Prosecutors say the scheme, spanning from January 2020 to at least July 2022, aimed to prevent a political consultant (“Victim 1”) from engaging in speech or campaign work that could harm Attar, to stop work for any candidate who might challenge her, and to otherwise influence Attar’s election efforts, including the 2022 House of Delegates race.
The defendants are charged with:
- Conspiracy
- Extortion via interstate communications
- Interception and disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communications,
- Travel Act violations, and
- Aiding and abetting
A table in the indictment cites specific WhatsApp messages in December 2021 and June 2022 as overt acts.
According to the filing, the defendants coordinated to plant devices, monitor movements, and repeatedly discuss—in group chats and voice notes—how to leverage the recordings against the victims. The document includes excerpts of messages and summaries of alleged threats to release a video showing two victims in bed together if demands were not met.
“I have hours of footage of you in bed with[Victim 1]… hours,” Joseph Attar allegedly said to Victim 2 during a meeting in December of 2021, according to the indictment. “…So, the only thing you need to do is very simple, is go to [Victim 1] and say to her, listen, leave Dalya alone. 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… or I’ll share this video with everybody you know, everyone she knows, every Rabbi in town, your kids, your wife, her daughters. I have all her daughters’ numbers in the phone if you want to see that too, right?”
The indictment identifies Victim 1 as a dual U.S.–Israeli citizen who previously worked on Attar’s 2018 delegate campaign and also has consulted for other candidates; Victim 2 is described as someone known to Attar and associated with her campaign and office.
Attar represents District 41 in Baltimore City and has served in the Maryland General Assembly since 2019. She was appointed to fill a Senate vacancy of former Senator Jill Carter[D] in January of 2025 by Governor Wes Moore[D]. Before entering the legislature, she worked as an assistant state’s attorney in Baltimore.
If convicted, the defendants each face up to 20 years in federal prison for the extortion and wiretap-related charges, along with additional penalties for related offenses. An initial appearance had not yet been scheduled as of Thursday, according to court records.
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innocent until proven guilty (of a jury) is a mentality. Its supposed to be like: theres no way he did that. He couldn’t possibly have done that. You’ve got the wrong guy. I’d have to see it to believe it. That kind of thing. Innocent until proven guilty doesn’t mean that at the start of the trial you’re innnocent + by the end of the trial you’re guilty. Thats not how it works.
This is the type of bs that the public it attained to should be shown at the very least without a doubt evidence on both parties . Other wise this sort of situation and way to many others alike worse or not , more involved or not ect ect will keep happening and happening way to easily. Idc what ppl do in their own personal lives or who with as long as no one is getting hurt in anyway especially children . I know thats easier said than done .and this sort of situation of course comes with some sort of pain to others. But not the type that is …extreme still fd up . Not ok. But I stand conflicted with stuff like this . Cause usually if your some one whos character is calm cool collected with not only cheating but morally stunted crap then theres always more skewed morals\ respect ect ect ect the list goes on thats hard not to want, no to need upfront transparency with all ppl that do work within the government. No one or any of their work for the most part should be done in incognito mode at all . Sure as hell would make sure important things actually get done ..or attempt to . Sure would put a stop to alot of shady greedy bs .. Sure would make communities stay together more .. Sure would help not divide ppl . But im dumb dont mind me lol idkshtboutsht