Joseph Gillespie, a former Baltimore City tax collector, pleaded guilty to a bribery scheme that lasted nearly eight years, costing the city over $1.2 million. He admitted to accepting around $250,000 in bribes from property owners to erase outstanding water bills and taxes, while also fraudulently obtaining nearly $139,000 in COVID-19 relief loans through a deceptive PPP application. Gillespie's fraudulent activities, which began in 2016 and continued until September 2023, involved marking debts as paid in exchange for payments ranging from 10% to 15% of the owed amounts. Additionally, he conspired with others in city agencies to facilitate and expand his bribery operations. If accepted by the court, Gillespie's plea agreement could result in a prison sentence of two to five years. His case is part of a broader investigation into pandemic relief fraud conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice.