On April 2, 2025, Stephen L. Snyder, a 77-year-old attorney from Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman. Snyder received a three-year probation sentence, including six months of home confinement, following his conviction for one count of attempted extortion and seven counts under the Travel Act. His sentencing follows a November 22, 2024 conviction by a federal jury after a nine-day trial.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly O. Hayes, alongside William J. DelBagno, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI's Baltimore Field Office.
Snyder, known as a plaintiffs' medical malpractice attorney in Baltimore, represented two clients who allegedly suffered injuries from organ transplants at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Between January 2018 and September 2018, Snyder sought to extort $25 million from the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), threatening to “destroy” UMMC's transplant department unless paid the sum personally, independent from any client settlement.
During the trial, evidence was presented showing Snyder's plan to carry out a public-relations campaign alleging that UMMC misled patients into receiving diseased organs. His threats included taking out a front-page ad in The Baltimore Sun, organizing a press conference, and setting up an internet advertisement to direct individuals searching for the UMMC transplant program to his law firm's website. Snyder also threatened to create advertisements accusing UMMC of prioritizing “profits over safety,” which were displayed during meetings with UMMS attorneys. Snyder reportedly suggested that this transaction could be concealed through a sham consulting agreement.
Snyder's threats and demands were made through multiple meetings and phone calls with UMMS attorneys during 2018. A key meeting on August 23, 2018, was secretly recorded by federal law authorities using hidden cameras.
In acknowledging the FBI's role in the investigation, U.S. Attorney Hayes expressed gratitude for their efforts. Hayes also credited Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Evelyn L. Cusson, who managed the federal prosecution.
For further details about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, including its priorities and community resources, visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-md.