Man Swindles More Than $100K From Ridgely’s Run Community Association, Faces Prison Time

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A 72-year-old Jessup man will serve time in prison for stealing more than $100,000 from a local community association. Paul Wayne Wharton, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but five years suspended for a series of thefts committed in an 18-month period. He was found guilty of a theft-scheme over $100,000 by a jury Oct. 14, 2021.

Wharton, who was the treasurer of the Ridgely’s Run Community Association from January 2017 to December 2018, misused money from the association’s account and made unauthorized payments to his company and himself, submitted fraudulent rent payments for his residence in Jessup and engaged in unauthorized debit card purchases at an estimated total value of $122,000.

Wharton has already paid $40,000 in restitution and was ordered, as part of his sentence, to pay the remaining amount of $81,352.97.

Wharton was also sentenced to three years in jail with credit for one day of time served for
a violation of probation for a mortgage fraud case from 2014. The violation of probation sentence
(three years) is consecutive to the theft-scheme sentence (five years) for a total of eight years of
incarceration.

“When you think of the scope of deception Wharton exhibited in stealing money not once, but 150
times over a nearly two-year period, his actions are stunning,” State’s Attorney Rich Gibson said. “He not only betrayed the trust and confidence of board members of the Ridgely’s Run Association, but also friends, associates and the community who directly benefit from the programs and events being sponsored at that center.”

Upon release from the division of corrections, Wharton will be placed on supervised probation for five years, must undergo any recommended mental health and drug treatment and abstain from alcohol and drugs.