A Maryland state lawmaker has been charged with federal extortion and conspiracy for an alleged plot involving the unauthorized recording of a critic “in bed” with a married man. State Sen. Dalya Attar, a Democrat, faces eight counts of misconduct, including planting tracking and recording devices on two individuals to suppress their criticism.
The 35-year-old, who made history as the first Orthodox Jewish woman elected to the Maryland Senate, was indicted alongside her brother, Joseph Attar, and a Baltimore police officer linked to her campaign. Court documents reveal that the victims included a political consultant whom prosecutors allege was filmed in bed with a married man. The consultant, described as a dual Israeli-American citizen, had previously worked with Attar during her 2018 election but later fell out of favor after a dispute.
According to the indictment, Attar and her co-conspirators allegedly broke into an apartment belonging to the consultant in early 2020, installing cameras disguised as smoke detectors and placing a tracking device on her vehicle. In March 2021, Attar’s brother reportedly threatened the consultant and the married man with the release of the video unless they ceased criticizing her.
The charging documents detail that Attar allegedly used messages to pressure the consultant, writing, “I think we have a very, very easy on our end, simple way to very likely get her to just shut up and leave us alone.” Later, Joseph Attar met with the married man, showing him the recording and demanding the consultant “leave my family alone.”
In a statement, Attar denied knowledge of any illegal activities, stating, “I would never do anything to knowingly jeopardize my constituents’ trust in me.” She emphasized her commitment to serving the community “with humility and honor.”
The 20-page indictment alleges a multiyear effort by Attar and unnamed co-conspirators to obtain and leverage the secret recording for personal gain.