July 16, 2025: Former Legislative Aide Sentenced for Stealing Legislative Scholarship Funds
July 16, 2025- Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III announced today that Esther Dikongue, a former legislative aide in the Maryland State Senate, has been sentenced by the Honorable Stacy W. McCormack of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County to four consecutive weekends incarceration, and if she completes the weekends, she will receive probation before judgment, with two years of supervised probation, for stealing funds allocated for legislative scholarships. During the hearing, Ms. Dikongue also presented a check for $20,000 restitution to the State of Maryland.
According to a Statement of Facts read into the record at the plea, Dikongue worked for a Maryland State Senator when she allocated scholarship funds to herself without that Senator’s authorization. Members of the Maryland Legislature are allocated funds to award legislative scholarships to students attending Maryland colleges or for Maryland students attending colleges outside of Maryland that offer programs unavailable at any Maryland institution. Dikongue continued to access the Senator’s email address, “secretly and without permission” after she no longer worked in the Senator’s Office to ensure she continued to receive the scholarship funds.
In a sentencing memo filed in advance of sentencing, the State argued that Dikongue should receive a criminal conviction because she undermined the important trust necessary for legislators to have with their aides to ensure the efficiency and integrity of government.
“Our Office worked hard in this case to raise awareness that abusing the trust the people of Maryland place in our legislative offices will result in criminal consequences,” said Howard. “We will continue our efforts to ensure Maryland government employees are held to the highest standard while serving the public interest.”
Mr. Howard thanked and commended Deputy State Prosecutor Sarah R. David, Assistant State Prosecutor Stephanie Haddad, and Special Agent Michael Berg for their work on this case.
A copy of the Statement of Facts can be found HERE.
Contact: media.osp@maryland.gov