AP
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A former high aide to California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been indicted on federal expenses alleging her involvement in a scheme to steal campaign cash from former federal Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.
Dana Williamson was arrested and scheduled to make her first courtroom look Wednesday in Sacramento. It was not instantly clear if she had an lawyer who might communicate on her behalf.
The federal indictment lists 4 different co-conspirators. It alleges that Williamson was half of a scheme involving Sean McCluskie, who was Becerra’s chief of workers on the time of the alleged conduct.
Becerra is a former California lawyer common who was appointed well being secretary by former President Joe Biden. He just isn’t implicated within the indictment.
The indictment alleges that Williamson and McCluskie arrange a system to take cash from Becerra’s dormant campaign account and funneled it to McCluskie, about $225,000 over a interval of greater than two years.
According to the indictment, Williamson started serving to McCluskie in April 2022 by utilizing her political consulting firm to invoice Becerra’s campaign account for purported providers. The cash would then be despatched to McCluskie’s spouse for work supposedly performed for Williamson.
When Williamson ready to be a part of Newsom’s workplace in late 2022, she organized for “Co-Conspirator 2” — an unnamed former public official — to take over her function within the scheme.
Williamson informed the Los Angeles Times that yr that she deliberate to sever monetary ties to her firm whereas working for the governor. However the indictment consists of particulars of emails, calls, and conferences between her and McCluskie concerning the alleged scheme and cover-up whereas she was Newsom’s chief of workers, a place she held till late 2024.
Williamson was additionally charged with falsifying enterprise contracts associated to Paycheck Protection Program loans her enterprise acquired through the Covid-19 pandemic. She allegedly requested an affiliate to create a retroactive contract saying her firm offered providers to his firm so she can be eligible for the loans and mortgage forgiveness.
The indictment accuses Williamson of submitting fraudulent tax types for her enterprise from 2021 to 2023, claiming greater than $1 million in enterprise deductions for private bills, together with luxurious purses and jewellery; personal jet journey; holidays in Mexico; set up of a house HVAC system; and a number of other hundred 1000’s of {dollars} paid to numerous kin for faux jobs.
McCluskie signed a plea deal October 30, in accordance to courtroom filings, agreeing to plead to one depend of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and wire fraud and to pay $225,000 in restitution to Becerra.
In an announcement, a spokesperson for the governor stated: “Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration. While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity.”
Becerra couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
The investigation started greater than three years in the past, FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel stated in an announcement. That means it began underneath the Biden administration.
Williamson faces 23 expenses, together with conspiracy to commit financial institution and wire fraud, financial institution fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and impede justice, subscribing to false tax returns and making false statements, the US Attorney’s Office stated.
If convicted, she might face up to 20 years in jail.
Williamson is a longtime Democratic energy participant in Sacramento. She was a Cabinet secretary for former Gov. Jerry Brown earlier than opening her personal political affairs agency. She was additionally Becerra’s campaign supervisor when he ran for lawyer common in 2018, and she or he later rejoined state authorities as Newsom’s chief of workers.