COURT NEWS Maryland Judge Michael White subject of criminal grand jury probe

Labor Dept. examining actions of Deputy States Attorney Daniel White and Judge White in addition to Judicial Disabilities Commission Investigation

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ANNAPOLIS, MD. – Various court documents, including subpoenas, verify that an Anne Arundel County Grand Jury began work in 2020 to investigate possible criminal conduct by Maryland Orphans Court Judge Michael White. The Grand Jury began work in 2020. Due to the severe Covid-19 shutdowns and limited reopening of the Maryland court system that continued through 2021, legal experts say that the secret activities of the Grand Jury in the matter of Judge Michael White are likely still underway.

A letter from renowned criminal defense attorney Clarke Ahlers of Columbia, Md., was sent to the Attorney General’s office asking for a conference to discuss the Grand Jury investigation of his client, Judge Michael White. The Ahlers letter was addressed to Assistant Attorney General Alexander C. Huggins and referenced the probe. “Investigations involving complainants John White and Ron Bateman of Compass Marketing Inc.”  Ahlers told Huggins that he represents Michael R. White, who is “…the subject of a Maryland State Police investigation and one or more Grand Jury subpoenas for his records.

In a League of Women Voters candidate forum held in June, Judge Michael White, who is currently standing for election to another term as Judge of the St. Mary’s Orphans Court, said on video that he is not involved in a criminal investigation but in civil litigation with a family member. 

Michael White’s attorney’s letter and a subpoena from the United States Department of Labor into what may result in criminal charges of forgery and tax fraud, support the possibility that Judge Michael White may face criminal charges due to the pending investigations.

Compass Marketing has alleged in a complaint filed in Federal Court that Michael White, his brother Deputy St. Mary’s County States Attorney Daniel White, and others, including Maryland State Police Lt. George White, along with former Chairman of the Board of the University of Maryland Medical Systems James C. Chip DiPaula conspired to bilk the Annapolis firm of millions of dollars, steal trade secrets and acted to cripple the Company owned by John White.

In addition to the above probes into the financial and legal affairs of Michael White is the looming outcome of a falsely filed Paycheck Protection Program loan for $28,210 filed by Michael White and George White for their Woodville Pines LLC, a gambling operation based in Charles County, Md. Funds for the loan from the Cares Act were given through the Small Business Administration to Woodville Pines by the United States taxpayers under penalty of perjury as statements made indicated that George White suffered losses in pay. George White continued to be paid his annual salary from the Maryland State Police of over $120,000.

The PPP loan was forgiven by the federal government, making a total of over $28,000 a gift from taxpayers, and was applied through the Community Bank of the Chesapeake.

Bank checking accounts for Compass Marketing were created at the former County First Bank (now part of Community Bank of Chesapeake) for siphoning money off from the Company. Only Daniel White and Michael White had access to the accounts. When questioned during depositions by an attorney for Compass Marketing, Michael White acknowledged that John White was not on the signature cards for the accounts. The loan approval date for the PPP loan to Woodville Pines LLC was April 28, 2020, and the loan was forgiven on January 12, 2021.

When Community Bank officials processed the loan, they had access to computer records of the accounts opened by Daniel White and Michael White in which millions of dollars were moving through accounts held at the bank.

Two ways to commit fraud on a PPP Loan

1. Falsifying the reduction in income due to Pandemic. 2. Falsyifing other sources of income.
   The regulators and prosecutors may consider whether the bank officials are accessories to any criminal conduct in obtaining PPP loans that may be leveled against George White and Michael White. The CEO of Community Bank sits on the Board of Directors of St. Mary’s Ryken High School with Daniel White.

The applicant ownership claim on the PPP Loan is filled in with an annual, monthly payroll of $11,824.00 and ownership of fifty percent each for Michael R White and George M. White.

An investigation by the Department of Labor into the Compass Marketing profit sharing plan resulted in subpoenas issued to Michael R. White, Debra White, Daniel White, and Kelly White to appear and provide testimony on November 4, 2021.

In a deposition given on December 1, 2021, in a civil action, Judge Michael White said he works approximately sixteen hours each week as a Judge of the Orphans Court. The salaries of the judges of the Orphans Court were not reduced during the time frame for which PPP loans were provided to Michael White and his Woodville Pines LLC.