A Maryland state senator has been charged with accepting illegal payments in exchange for using his position to facilitate business deals.
The U.S. attorney's office announced the federal wire fraud charge Friday. It stems from an investigation dating to 2015, when Nathaniel Oaks was a member of the House of Delegates representing a district in Baltimore.
Stuart Simms, Oaks' lawyer, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
An affidavit alleges Oaks was paid $10,300 for his help with development and business-related opportunities. One of them was a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development project that a confidential FBI source expressed interest in. Authorities say Oaks was paid another $5,000 for filing a bond bill in the legislature.
Oaks was appointed to the state Senate this year.
