The Baltimore City Board of Ethics ruled Thursday that City Council President Nick Mosby violated rules by soliciting donations to offset legal costs incurred by him and his wife, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

The board ordered Mosby to sever all connections with the fund, known as the Mosby 2021 Trust.

In its ruling, the board said when it found “prima facie” evidence of ethics violations, it offered Mosby the opportunity to settle the issue himself, but his lawyer declined to do so.

The 17-page report includes a record that Baltimore awarded a “several-hundred-thousand-dollar” American Rescue Plan Act grant to a non-profit organization whose executive director appears to have donated $100 to Donorbox, the online platform hosting Mosby's fund, a few weeks prior to the award.

The largest donation, $5000, was made by someone who was previously listed as a woman or minority-owned business in a contract bid that was before the City’s Board of Estimates, on which Mosby sits.

Mosby said in a statement he is “perplexed” by the Board’s findings and “categorically den[ies]” committing any breach of ethics laws.

He has 30 days to file an appeal of the ruling.